Historic golf facility on the Isle of Wight to close

An 88-year-old golf venue opened by Sir Henry Cotton and featuring four small courses is to become the fourth UK facility since the pandemic started to close down.

Browns Golf Course on the Isle of Wight, which features two nine-hole pitch and putt courses and two 18-hole putting courses, is to close down at the end of September, along with its café.

The local press described the family-owned facility as ‘one of the Isle of Wight’s most cherished entertainment venues.’

A statement on Facebook reads: ‘Just seven seasons ago we were given the wonderful opportunity to take on Browns.

‘To say the course was in need of some TLC was an understatement.

‘We gingerly served people knowing the course was not where it needed to be but knowing its great potential to give the island folk a facility back that had been lost.

Browns Golf Course. Image from Facebook

‘Over the years with a lot of hard work and perseverance and the great dedication and knowledge from Dave [and John] our greenkeeper, the course was turned around to what it is today.

‘The clubhouse café quickly became a hub for mums with the indoor toy area for children and a menu to suit all ages and dietary needs – something we’ve always prided our selves on.

‘Year upon year the tourists return to us, year upon year we have more locals using our facilities and year upon year we employ more people to keep up with the demand of our little family run business – 15,000 people played golf during our eight month season in 2019.

‘Sadly. with the future of Browns in jeopardy and no real security to be able to project the business forward for the future the time has come for us to hang up our aprons and retire our mowers.

‘We would like to thank all of our staff for the dedication they have given us , for working with us and their continued loyalty, we couldn’t have been here for as-long as we have without you all.

‘To our customers that return weekly (some daily), monthly and yearly, many thanks for supporting us.

‘We close our doors for the last time on September 27 with sad hearts but incredible memories.’

Despite being a small island with less than 150,000 inhabitants, the Isle of Wight has seven golf courses, excluding Browns.

Since the pandemic started, at least three golf clubs have closed down – Patsull Park Hotel, Golf and Country Club near Wolverhampton, Magnolia Park Hotel and Golf Club in Buckinghamshire and Brucefields Family Golf Centre in Stirling, while Pewit Golf Course in Derbyshire has not yet reopened, and Bulwell Hall Golf Course and Country Park is set to close in November and Cleve Hill Golf Club in Gloucestershire will close down next March.