Six Scottish golf clubs could close ‘in the next two weeks’

Six golf clubs in South Lanarkshire are in danger of not reopening when golf in Scotland resumes as it is claimed that no greenkeepers have been working on them during the lockdown.

According to the Carluke Gazette, none of the venues have carried out basic greenkeeping maintenance since courses in the UK were told to close in March – a period of, now, nearly two months that has coincided with the start of the growing season.

All six clubs are municipal.

Mags Cathcart, manager at Hollandbush Golf Club, told the paper that no greenkeeping work has been carried out at hers, or any of the other five courses, in the two months since the coronavirus lockdown was imposed.

“Peter Craig (chair of South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture) responded to Lisa Cameron (local MP), who got involved on our behalf,” she said.

“And he said the council greenkeeping staff were getting used for essential maintenance work elsewhere, ie refuse collection and grave digging.

“But I know not one man from Hollandbush, Biggar or Larkhall, Torrance House, Langlands or Strathclyde Park has been doing essential work elsewhere, they’ve been sitting in the house.

“Our greenkeeper Stuart Muir thinks that we could lose the greens altogether in another couple of weeks.

“That is really concerning. There’s a risk of disease to the greens, they’re not getting any nutrition. Now the sun’s shining and they’re drying out.

“I think for a new green you’re talking in the region of £30,000. So imagine if you needed to replace 18 greens at any of these courses – they’re not going to open any of them back up.”