Wigan Athletic close down golf club
By Alistair Dunsmuir
A golf club has been suddenly closed down by its new owner, Wigan Athletic Football Club, despite assurances just days ago that it would remain open.
Charnock Richard Golf Club in Lancashire, which was built in 1994 on predominantly freehold land and has been operated by the same family since, was put up for auction last month with a guide price of £650,000.
Championship football club Wigan Athletic bought the club with a view to converting it into a training ground, but immediately released a statement to concerned members and staff at Charnock Richard, saying: ‘Wigan Athletic stress that the golf club will continue to operate as normal during the current golf season and all competitions and fixtures will be honoured.’
However, this weekend, after learning that the course machinery needed to be replaced at a cost of £30,000, Wigan Athletic released a new statement saying that the course and its restaurant will close with immediate effect.
A spokesman said: “It was originally intended for the course to remain open for the duration of the current golf season, however, it has become apparent that the remaining ground maintenance equipment was not in a suitable condition to allow us to maintain the course to an appropriate standard and unfortunately we have no alternative but to close the facilities.
“The decision made is a regrettable one, but one that has been made after much consideration.
“We apologise to members for any inconvenience that has resulted from the cessation of trade of the previous company.
“The land and property has been purchased to develop football academy facilities subject to future planning permission, and any questions members have regarding membership or restaurant and clubhouse bookings should be directed to the golf course operating company, Hole in One Golf Club Limited.”
Staff and members have said they are furious.
President John Sinclair said: “The letter is the first we have heard from Wigan.
“We haven’t had a chance to speak to them or put our case forward, they have decided to close and we are all very, very disappointed.
“They haven’t even submitted a planning application yet and do not know whether it will be passed. It could take months before anything starts to happen.
“It seems very unfair especially as we have some big competitions coming up, but it doesn’t look like we can do anything about it.”
Director of golf at Charnock Richard, Alan Lunt, who had worked at the club for 12 years, added: “Staff were not aware of the content of the letter. We were kept in the dark by everyone that we had been made redundant.”
Wigan Athletic’s purchase of Charnock Richard is the second time this summer that a Championship football club has bought a golf club to convert into a training facility. Reading FC have also bought Bearwood Golf Club.
By Alistair Dunsmuir
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Football Greed……….. hope they get relegated.
Whilst is sad that the Club has finally gone and its members are ones who are the only ones who have lost out, remember this was an owner/management problem. At least 3 times in recent memory this company entered Receivership. It is not the fault of the buyer but the failure of the owner to manage and plan a golf clib.
I have played at the club for 17 years and to think that it is not going to be a golf course anymore is very sad. We want don’t want to see golf courses close but then it’s your own, it hits home.
Again, this position we find ourselves in us entirely down to poor management my the previous owners. It is very interesting that this report appears on Golf Club Management because there wasn’t any at Charnock. This would be a great story for ‘Golf Club Mismanagement’ if it was to exist.
We accept that the course has now gone and I wish all the ex members all the best golfing wherever you go. To the great Staff, both golf and restaurant, all the best for the future. You all have remained outstanding in difficult times with limited resources.
However… All other clubs need to plan for the future as situations like this can be on you over night. Think of the next generation and have a 10 year development plan in place for your club! Work with trained Golf Club Managers, England Golf to get Golf Mark, work with the Golf Foundation to help develop the future golfers and the PGA are there to develop your coaches. All these people can be found through your local County Golf Partnership. Other non golf specific sports development organisations are available to support you such as your County Sport Partnership who will sit on your CGP steering group.
Don’t sit sill!
It is a disgrace – we have been let down by the former proprietors in more ways than one and now by Wigan Athletic. We have been unable to play our Captain’s day competition or our last home game in the South West Lancs Seniors League (we are currently top of that league but now may have to forfeit our fixtures) as a result of this sudden closure. It was bad enough learning that the club was to close at the end of the year, but to do it this way when members have paid a full years subs. is poor conduct all round. I am left feeling cheated and saddened by it all
This is the sort of news that annoys me. Another football club running rough shod over peoples feelings? You only have to see what is going on at Coventry to see how extreme that can be! To all you golfers take a break and come with us instead on a trip that will excite and fill you with memories of a lifetime. Fairway cruises in the UK is new and unique.
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