The Addington to be sold shortly. Changes?

[Noel Freeman]

I was at the Addington yesterday and found out that the Fabes heirs (The woman, Mrs Fabes who owned it passed on last year, she was quite legendary in her own way) are going to be selling their 2/3rds interest. A syndicate of members and others own the other 1/3.    The members tried to buy it but their bid was rejected.  The favorite to buy it is Mr. J. Noades who owns several other clubs although someone in the know told me he might not win.  Not sure who the others will be but the winning bid is likely to be north of £6 million or about $10 million.  There are limits to what anyone can do with the club but the member who I played with said Mr. Noades would definitely make some changes and try to get more people societies thru the place etc.  I don't know if anyone would touch the uniqueness of the course.  It is as swashbuckling as a course can be.  Because of that the club has had trouble keeping members or soliciting new ones, they have 160 people.. It is only £2000 to join the Addington a virtual bargain.  The belief is whoever gets controlling interest will jack up fees/entrance and also change the club/course which is a worry.

The Addington already has changed a lot. There is a course guide (gasp!) and they sell merchandise with a logo..

What would PG Wodehouse who's famous bunker at No. 6 says?

Laun Middleton, if you are out there any comments?  Sorry I've not been in touch and not sure if all my info is 100% correct.

[Pete Buczkowski]

Noel - I'll be there in about 2 weeks to visit, perhaps I'll bring it up.  The secretary seems like a great guy, even tried to encourage the local vicar to fix the weather since I was bringing my wife (but alas, the vicar is only in sales, not managment  ).  But, one major sign of the changing times is that the Addington has a proper website now.  Same with Woking.  I spoke with their secretary today and he was having all sorts of bother with the system, had a good laugh about it.

[wsmorrison]

Noel,

Thanks for the update.  The Addington is wonderful just the way it is, or was when we were there prior to meeting up with you at Deal.  However, it appears from your report that it won't be staying that way.  

2000 Pounds?  That is an amazing deal for a wonderful club so close to downtown London.  I can't understand why there isn't a long waiting list to get in?  

[Pete Lavallee]

Noel,

 I can't understand why there isn't a long waiting list to get in?  

It is amazing that such a thrilling course would have trouble attracting only 160 members; could it's location in Croydon be the main drawback? It's a very peaceful spot though, especially if you play during the week; you'll literally have the course to yourself. I hope this doesn't mean they will resort to irrigation though.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Thanks to Chris Parker for the lesson on this, you can visit it on Google earth cr0 5ab.  

Visited yesterday and was generally knocked out. The course builds like nothing else I've seen, feel inadequate to describe it better.  I love the way you can play over such wild topography without any slogging up hills.

It's one of Doak's 31 flavours and it must be the only one where you could currently walk into a membership?  It seems there is a tradition here of the 'conditioning' disappointing.  They've sorted out the welcome but if they feel new owners won't want better greens then they've got a shock coming.

It is unique and the fear is any tinkering will bring it more inline with what societies and wealthy golfers expect.
 


http://www.addingtongolf.com/   overseas membership  £260

If you look at the right hand side of the picture or visit Google earth there's what appears to be about 6 holes from the lost second course.  We need a GCA sleuth to take a walk in that park!

[Brent Hutto]

Other than playing Walton Heath on the 15th I had been keeping my options open for what other course in the area to play during my upcoming trip. After seeing this thread, I guess there's nothing in it...now The Addington has become a Must Play given the possibility of significant "upgrading" in the near future.

So it looks like I'll be playing there on Monday, June 26 and if anyone could join me I'd welcome to the company. I just spoke to the lady in the pro shop and tee times are available for most any time that day. I'm inclined to shoot for a Gentleman's Early Tee Time of around 10:00AM to avoid the worst traffic but allow time for lunch and the possibility for a second time 'round in the afternoon.

Hopefully, one of our London correspondants or someone else in the area for a summer vacation or even the odd commuter from the Midlands might enjoy a mid-summer day at The Addington with me. It sounds like the kind of course where it's best to have someone with whom to share a few "Would you look at that" moments.

[Richard Pennell]

Brent - I played with Tony there on Tuesday and it was lovely, if a little tatty round the edges conditioning-wise. You won't regret playing there, and by June I would expect it to be a whole lot firmer and faster than it was this week. I had walked the course once before but there are so many good holes that are so much more fun to play. I love the 12th and Tony admitted he was still thinking about it as he holed out on 13! I spent about half an hour of supposed study time last night composing this reply with a load of photos for you but managed to lose it at the preview stage. I'll try and post some soon, though.
If you're thinking of playing it again in the afternoon of the 26th, and other people haven't already filled up a fourball, that would make a good place to meet up for a game - I can't wait to get back there.

Tony - thanks again, a great way to end a working day. Roll on Worplesdon

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

How does an investment of over 10 million dollars for a 2/3 interest in a club with only 160 members make any sense at all?

[Brent Hutto]

Richard,

Yes, he had mentioned having his senses knocked a little akilter by the twelfth. I've had a similar experience of encountering a hole that I somehow just wasn't prepared to process in real time.

My inclination is to plan on morning round, lunch, afternoon round at The Addington on Monday the 26th. Perhaps they'll let me go ahead and book two 4-ball tee times now and update them in a few weeks about who will actually be there. That would be nice. It's certainly the sort of course to go around twice in order to take it all in.

Tiger,

Perhaps they need to park their ten million somewhere for a couple decades. Isn't The Addington close enough in for the real estate to become more and more valuable as Greater London eventually encompasses thousands of square miles?

[Brent Hutto]

My inclination is to plan on morning round, lunch, afternoon round at The Addington on Monday the 26th. Perhaps they'll let me go ahead and book two 4-ball tee times now and update them in a few weeks about who will actually be there. That would be nice. It's certainly the sort of course to go around twice in order to take it all in.

I just spoke with the folks at The Addington. They don't actually do tee-times, I just had them put us in the book for Monday the 26th and it is 60 pounds for a day ticket. The course opens at 8:00AM and we're free to play all the golf we want. No societies or other events that day so they don't expect the course to be crowded.

For my part, the traffic from my B&B near Dorking going to Croydon will no doubt be brutal so I'll probably wait and leave  9:00AM-ish and get to the course mid-morning. Anyone who can get away for all or part of the day is welcome to join me for a game at some point. I should have plenty of time and daylight for a couple leisurely rounds even without an early start.