Golf club member gives £100,000 of his own money to his club

A member of Douglas Park Golf Club in Scotland has given one of the largest donations in history to a golf club – £100,000 – because the club needed the money and he “wanted to give something back”.

John Watson, 66, who ran a printing business in Glasgow until last year, has been a member at Douglas Park for over 55 years, his father was a member and sons are members.

According to the Milngavie & Bearsden Herald, Watson sold his business to an American giant last summer, and ‘wanted to repay the golf club which has given him so much enjoyment over the last 55 years’.

He said: “My father played there and my four sons still do. You work hard and play hard, and I wanted to give something back.

“I managed to exit my company successfully in 2014 and the club needed the dosh so this was a fast track way of getting the big ticket things done that all clubs are faced with.”

Mr Watson asked the club’s committee to draw up a wish list of what they could spend the money on.

Among the more expensive items are re-tarmacing the paths and renovating the Art Deco clubhouse built in 1938. It is estimated the clubhouse alone will cost in the region of £30,000.

Club captain Roddy Gillespie, said: “This wonderful donation is the biggest we’ve ever had and will go along way to helping us. We’re extremely grateful to John for his outstanding kindness. Like all golf clubs, Douglas Park takes great pride in the facilities we offer but we are also very conscious that we need to make continuous improvements.”