Berkshire golf club plans major changes

Sonning Golf Club in Berkshire is the latest venue to plan major improvements that include the building of housing.

The facility has submitted a planning application to Wokingham Borough Council to build 54 homes on its existing driving range, and create an indoor practice facility that includes a simulator.

The driving range would be replaced by new driving nets.

The plan suggests the housing mix be made up of six one-bedroom homes, as well as 16 two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and four-bedroom plus properties.

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As the current practice range is outside, the club suggests it can be ‘unattractive’ in bad weather, as well as being unusable after dark. The simulator will allow target practice at a range of distances, which is described as a ‘significant benefit’ in comparison to the existing driving range.

Sonning Golf Club states: “[It] allows the golfer to track the trajectory of the struck ball, its spin and distance, all essential data to improve a golfer’s skill. Moreover, the ability to know how far each golf club hits a ball is a fundamental benefit to practice and teaching.” These three simulators and six driving nets, which would be available free of charge for golfers to hit their own balls, would increase the capacity of the current practice areas.

Other planned changes include the extension of the club car park, the relocation of the 18th green, the addition of an extended practice putting green and a new short-game chipping area.

Several British golf clubs are currently looking to grow via the building of housing on their lands at the moment.