Donald Steel designed Scottish course closes down
By Alistair Dunsmuir
Brunston Castle Golf Club in Scotland has reportedly closed with almost immediate effect due to unforeseen circumstances.
According to Scotland on Sunday, the closure was announced on social media on Saturday, January 12 – with the club shutting the following day.
This has come as a ‘shock locally’ reports the paper.
It’s not clear which social media account detailed the announcement as the club’s website has not been updated to detail the news – plus it links to a Twitter account that doesn’t exist and a Facebook page that hasn’t been updated since 2016. A separate Brunston Castle Golf Club Twitter account hasn’t been updated since 2012. The Golf Business tried to contact the club but its phone was not being answered.
Brunston Castle’s website
Scotland on Sunday says a Tweet states that the decision was taken ‘due to unforeseen circumstances’.
Donald Steel designed the course at Brunston Castle. It opened in 1992 and, before long, hosted both county and national events. The latter included the 2004 Scottish Youths Championship won by Wallace Booth.
“It is such a shame,” he said. “I have very fond memories of that place as I also played a Perth & Kinross team match there a few years later when the late Barrie Douglas caddied for me.”
Alan Reid, who was the club professional at Brunston Castle for a spell but is now at West Lothian, described the news as “sad”.
Brunston Castle is the second Ayrshire club after Beith to close in recent years, while others to suffer the same fate elsewhere in Scotland include Lothianburn, Mouse Valley and Torphin Hill.
At the end of last year at least six UK golf clubs closed down in the space of six weeks, including Potters Bar Golf Club in Hertfordshire, Carrick Knowe Golf Club in Edinburgh, Fishwick Hall Golf Club in Lancashire, Raglan Parc Golf Club in Wales, Canwick Park Golf Club in Lincolnshire and Southwood Golf Course in Farnborough.
By Alistair Dunsmuir
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It’s to be expected with the Golf Game fading in popularity.
You know, Tennis had the same problem of losing appeal a few years ago and then someone came up with a smaller quick play version called “pickleball”! They simply adjusted the ball to a smaller court and since then the game has taken off with more many more people now playing. It’s actually become a phenomenon for growth!
Maybe golf should consider adjusting the ball for play on smaller courses, where you can play a quicker game in half the time & cost, with more satisfaction?
We already have!!!
This was a great track if true that is a great shame!
The club has definitely closed their doors! I dont imagine they’ll be the last either
This must be about the third time surely if not the 4th?
I decided to hold the inaugural Junior Open there alongside The Open at Turnberry that year 1994 only to be told it had been put in the hands of Liquidators/Accountants! We still managed to hold 1 x 18 holes there and to be safe I arranged the other 18 over Ayr Belleisle with the marvellous help of Nick Larkin Head of Golf, Sir Graeme Simmers & Scottish Sports Council and Sir Michael Bonnallack! It was eventually sold back, I believe to Bob Low the Belgian Diamond Merchant who originally built it but was later in similar position I think around 2012 but was obviously saved so lets hope it can again. I really enjoyed my game over it and you wouldn’t have guessed it was a relatively new course at the time because of the good design.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/liquidator-appointed-ayrshire-golf-club-2411515