The Addington

[David_Tepper]

While stumbling around the internet (yes, I do have a little too much time on my hands!), I came across an 8-page offering memo for the sale of The Addington from a year or two ago.  I know the course has a number of fans here and thought it might be of interest. Hope this link works:

http://www.humberts-leisure.com/uploads/media/ADDINGTON_GC_screen.pdf

[Bill_McBride]

I love the photo of the sunken bunker by the bridge on #6 with the story of P.G. Wodehouse asking that mail henceforth be sent to him "c/o Sixth Hole Bunker, The Addington."   

David, if you've got time on your hands -- back to Dornoch!

[Bill_McBride]

What was the ultimate conclusion of this offer to sell?  Are there new owners?  Is the club receptive to visitors?  I'd love to see this before or after the Buda Cup next year.

[David_Tepper]

Bill -

I am sure one of our British GCA-ers (Sean Arble?) will chime in with the facts, but I seem to recall reading here 12-24 months ago that the Addington was purchased by an English "wheeler-dealer" guy who owns one of the Premiership football teams.

P.S. The real question to ask re: my free time is, "If you have so much free time, why aren't you a better golfer?"

DT     

[Tony_Muldoon]

Thanks David, Ithink the rumour is that it went for £4-5m not bad for a club that had about 150 members. (If my memory is faulty please correct.)


It was bought by Ron Noades a geezer who made money owning a lower league football team and is quite the sharp operator.  He also owns a few other courses in Surrey.  

I played the summer after he took over and clearance work had started with scrub and trees going. There's been a few more encoraging reports on here since, Hopefully Jon will chip in.

I hope to get there in Sept and if I do I'll bring the camera.  Yes it's still open for outside ply but possibly not as freely (or as cheaply) as before.

[David_Tepper]

Looks like visitor play is still welcome.

 www.addingtongolf.com

[Mark Chaplin]

The Addington is very much open to visitors, most of the "old" members left not that there were many of them. But I understand those who owned shares in the club did well.

Not all members were shareholders. Unlike members of the Royal Automobile Club who have a clubhouse in Central London and 36 holes of golf in Surrey, they also owned the RAC breakdown service and when it was sold off the members made, I believe around £34k each...nice tickle!!

[David_Tepper]

Article on the sale of The Addington:

http://www.fairwaytogreen.com/ftg_526.shtml

[Mark Bourgeois]

As Mark C notes, a club has been lost.  But a course has been gained.  I have played it several times since the sale and each time increased my desire to go straight from 18 green to 1 tee.  To wit:
*underbrush and some trees cleared (more need to go -- would be wonderful to see 12 green in particular opened)
*greens being brought back (they were 100 percent thatch and treading on them instilled the worst feeling of guilt -- "poacide")
*bunkers being restored

In all this the management has made assurances they have no intent to change the course, merely to improve the conditions.  Disclaimer: very few on this board probably care less about conditioning than me. (But I did worry about those greens!)

As to the club, bizarrely I saw women on my last visit (and the door to a ladies locker room), there's a pro shop -- and a pro!

I recommend this course without exception -- every visitor should put it on his must-play list.

Mark

PS I have some crappy cell phone pics if you're desperate.

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