[Paul_Turner]

Churston is a decent Colt course in Devon which is looking to builld housing on its 1st and 18th holes and possibly build the new clubhouse on two other holes (2 and 3?).   


http://www.golfclubmanagement.net/2012/12/golf-club-to-build-a-care-home/

"Devon CPRE is most concerned that if this project goes ahead, it could set a precedent for developments on golf courses all over the country.

The golf course has a 999-year covenant for land leased from Torbay Council for either recreational or agricultural use. However, Churston Golf Club has now signed conditional contracts with Bloor Homes and Torbay Council thereby enabling restrictive covenants to be removed, which may well result in major construction on the golf course. If these proposals go ahead, the golf club would have its commercial loan paid off, have a new clubhouse built in an area of natural beauty and the council would be paid £2 million for signing the documents."

The club claims financial hardship and needs the cash. It's depressing that they built a new clubouse only 12 years ago with the aid of lottery money- what a waste.  I guess if the club failed without this development then the course could revert back to the local council and become a municipal course? 

Hawtree is the architect for the new holes.

If the restrictive covenants are removed and the development goes ahead will the flood gates open with other clubs going down this route?

[Tom_Doak]

Paul:

That's a sad story for those who believe in zoning laws and the value of open space as part of a community.

However, from the golf perspective, if those restrictive covenants are the only thing that's keeping the golf course from staying a golf course ... then it probably shouldn't be a golf course.

[Paul_Turner]

Tom

I suspect the club got into too much debt ("commercial loan" in the article) with the new (2001) clubhouse- even if it was subsidised through the lottery money.

Unless the economics of private golf in the area have changed a lot in recent years?  Mackenzie's Teignmouth is nearby and of similar quality and I wonder how they are doing?

It's a good 1920s course serving a wealthy town in a pretty area, so it's hard to imagine it couldn't survive OK unless the debt is too bad  (survived WW2 well enough!).

I can't see how the new clubhouse and car park will fit on the current 3rd hole and the replacement land is major dud...so there's not much chance of the course getting better eventhough the current 1st and 18th are not great holes.

I'll post some old pics.

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