The historic, municipal nine-hole Moore Place Golf Club in Surrey has closed suddenly and unexpectedly, according to reports.
Golfers were met with signs saying that the site has been shut, although no information has been given as to why, reports SurreyLive.
Elmbridge borough councillor for Esher, David Archer, saidthat he has made repeated attempts to contact the course’s owners, but has not been able to get through.
He added: “It closed down and all of the employees were told to go home and not come back.
“I learned to play golf there and most of the golfers around here all learned at Moore Place so it’s a tragedy and a dreadful loss to the community. It’s a great, great shame. Everyone’s mortified.”
Pinned to trees and onto the clubhouse door, a note to guests read: ‘Moore Place Golf. Closed until further notice. All enquiries to: mooreplacegc@btconnect.com. We will be in contact with season ticket holders shortly.’
Archer continued to say that the golf club should have to answer for the sudden closure.
“I cannot understand, it’s under review for the next local plan but we have known about that for months,” he said. “Any action at all isn’t related to anything that may happen in the local plan.
“Fundamentally, an explanation should be given. It’s a local asset, they need to explain it to the people of Esher. You cannot just close a local asset and not give a reasonable explanation.”
Moore Place Golf Course was opened in 1926 by golfing legend Harry Vardon and full annual membership is £625.
SurreyLive photographer Darren Pepe spotted golfers continuing to play on Thursday, presumably for free, on the nine-hole course.
Earlier this year Redhill and Reigate Golf Club, which was established in the 1880s and was the second oldest golf club in Surrey, also closed down.
It’s also been a very difficult few days for the UK golf industry with Polmont Golf Club, Carswell Golf Club and Stanmore and Edgware Golf Course all closing, and Hilltop Golf Course, Letham Grange Golf Club and Temple Newsam Golf Course all announcing they will close shortly.
Update: Charterhouse Property Group Strategic Land has stated on its website that it wants to build around 260 homes on the Moore Place 30-acre plot.
‘Since 2016 Charterhouse has been promoting Moore Place Golf Course through the emerging Elmbridge Local Plan, advocating its release from the green belt in order to meet the council’s objectively assessed housing need.
‘The site has the scope to accommodate a suitable expansion of the town in a location with convenient access to a range of local services and facilities,’ it states.
No planning application has so far been submitted to the council for any redevelopment.
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