Council set to invest in golf clubs it was set to close last year

A Scottish council that was earmarking five of its eight golf clubs for closure just 14 months ago is now set to invest in all of them following the surge in popularity of the game amid the pandemic.

South Ayrshire Council runs eight golf courses and has formed a cross-party working group to discuss their future.

It will feature councillors Siobhian Brown, SNP, independent Brian Connolly, Labour’s Philip Saxton and Conservative Bob Pollock, and will look at investment and improvements to the courses, plus a ‘future operating model’ and prices.

Also under review will be rights of access to courses, partnerships between golf clubs and the council and environmental sustainability.

The group hopes to make recommendations that will be put in front of a council panel on May 25.

If the reports that the group will be investing in the courses are accurate, this represents a remarkable shift in attitude towards golf by the council, caused by the recent growth in demand to play the game.

‘We have never witnessed such a demand for golf,’ says municipal venue boss

The council had discussed closing five of its eight clubs just 14 months ago, with a spokesman saying: ‘There will be some tough choices ahead’.

However, this was just before the start of the pandemic and the council later reported an overall membership increase of a staggering 43 percent in 2020 compared with 2019, at the venues.

South Ayrshire Council operates the Maybole, Dalmilling, Belleisle, Seafield, Darley, Lochgreen, Fullarton and Girvan golf courses.