Reading Golf Club votes to relocate club

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir October 15, 2018 12:13

Members of Reading Golf Club have voted overwhelmingly in favour of relocating their golf club in order to safeguard its future.

Eighty-three per cent of the club’s members voted to sell the venue – which currently needs expensive and outstanding work, such as a new greenkeepers’ complex, plus clubhouse roof repairs and an irrigation upgrade, to be carried out.

The hope is that the 108-year-old club will merge with an existing golf club “which will be more equipped for the modern golf market and the services we want to provide,” according to the club’s general manager, Gary Stangoe.

Modern facilities could include additional revenue streams and improved practice areas.

Nearly half of the land where the club is currently located would be returned as green space to the local community, it is proposed, with the remainder converted into housing if planning permission is granted.

It is also hoped that a smaller, family-friendly golf course would be maintained at the existing venue until it is developed, depending on the planning permission.

Gary Stangoe told getreading [and his comments to The Golf Business are detailed below this article]: “The club have kept the community and the Emmer Green Residents’ Association up to date with all the plans through the process.

“We had an online poll with our members which received a vote of 83 per cent to go forward with the sale.

“Some members called for a meeting, which was conducted at Highdown School.

“We had a second vote at the meeting and again the level of support was 83 per cent.

“A section of our golf course has been earmarked for a 90 to 130 home development.

“The funds from the sale of that would enable us to relocate to a new facility which will be more equipped for the modern golf market and the services we want to provide.

“We will be here for at least another two years and we will be providing some form of golf operation on the land for a good number of years to come.”

The golf club’s land has not been sold yet, but a comprehensive bid has been submitted by Wates Residential Developments Group.

 

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir October 15, 2018 12:13
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1 Comment

  1. Gary October 18, 11:27

    The Club are looking to relocate to continue our 108 year history, plans to retain some golf offering on the remaining land that the club own are also under consideration. This is from a sale of under 4 hectares of our land and will include development of 90-130 houses.
    A maximum of 700 homes has been stated as appropriate by Wates for the whole site if developed but all subject to planning and for sometime in the future. The six figure sum was an answer to a question “What could it mean” if the whole site was developed. The only people talking about money are the press and the planning objectors, the real members are more interested in their golf.
    With 5 new facilities opened within a 15 minute drive in last 30 years and a small land locked site, the club had to consider its future especially with Cap-ex of £1-£1.5m on the horizon and no real funds (sound familiar) set aside.
    Hopefully we will have another 108 years ahead of us!

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