Fourth Scottish municipal venue saved in three weeks

Dalmuir Municipal Golf Course has become the fourth Scottish municipal golf course in the last month to be saved from closure.

In February South Lanarkshire Council decided to keep Hollandbush Golf Club going, and Dundee City Council decided it will keep the two Caird Park golf courses open.

The latest club to be saved is Dalmuir Municipal. Councillors from West Dunbartonshire Council were presented with more than 50 money savings options to plug an £8.3 million budget black hole, one of which was to close or downsize Dalmuir Municipal Golf Course.

Premier League football star John McGinn and golfer Sergio Garcia led calls to save the facility.

The council listened to their concerns and the proposal was rejected.

Following the announcement, Gerry Smith, match secretary at Overtoun Golf Club – one of several that play at Dalmuir – told the Clydebank Post he is “delighted” but that there are discussions that now need to be had.

Smith said: “I’m obviously delighted and we couldn’t be happier but it’s only the start. Now, we need to get all the clubs together with the council and discuss how to go forward with the course rather than just leaving it how it is right now.

“The course could make money if it’s invested in. When I say invested I’m not talking about a lot of money, just enough to make sure it’s up to a good standard where people will want to play it.

“It’s been let slip over the last two or three years which is why it has been losing money. Money could be recouped if more things were brought to it such as amenities for people.

“There was a bowling club there but that was shut down. It was supposedly going to be turned into a putting green by the previous pro but he left and that position was never filled so it’s just lying there doing nothing.

“There’s also a café sitting there with rooms at the back of it. People could easily sit in there and have a cup of coffee or even a drink but there’s absolutely nothing there right now.”

Smith added: “Golf clubs now, they don’t just cater for golf they serve food, drinks and so on.

“With the summer coming up people will be using the park [Dalmuir Park] with their kids. If the café was open they could then go in there and get an ice cream for the kids and a coffee for themselves or whatever.

“You can’t even do that right now. It would bring more people in. Obviously, with the bowling greens at the back, they could easily be transformed into a putting green.

“The council could charge 50p or £1 for kids to go on and have a wee shot of putting. It could help get them into golf as well.”