Elmwood Golf Course in Cupar, Fife, could close permanently on March 31, 2027, after its owner, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), said attempts to secure an alternative operator had failed.
The 18-hole course in the ‘Home of Golf’ was purpose-built to train greenkeepers and golf course managers. Its clubhouse, professional shop and catering facilities closed on October 24, and members have until Friday, November 6, to say whether they would take over its operation.
SRUC says the course costs it up to £300,000 a year and that urgent action was needed. In a statement, it said the course is “no longer used for educational purposes and is therefore surplus to the institution’s requirements”. As an educational charity, it says, it cannot continue to subsidise an operation without a charitable purpose.
The college says it tried to improve the course’s commercial performance, marketed it for sale on the open market, including internationally, and worked with an operator on a partnership model. Discussions with a local operator ended when it decided not to take over, and St Andrews Links Trust has turned down an option that included a peppercorn lease, according to The Courier.
SRUC says that if members come forward with a credible and viable proposal, it would consider transferring ownership. If not, any residual membership fees would be refunded on closure, and it says the closure would not affect the educational function of its Elmwood campus. In a letter to members, deputy chief executive Gavin Macgregor said SRUC would be “forced to continue to reduce operations” and close the course if members did not proceed.
‘Save Elmwood’, a community campaign group, says the deadline is wholly inadequate and is calling for a pause of six to 12 months to give golf organisations, prospective operators and local representatives a realistic chance to find a sustainable future for the course.
“Running an 18-hole golf course is a serious undertaking,” a Save Elmwood spokesperson said. “It requires proper financial due diligence, a sustainable operating model, staffing arrangements, equipment, maintenance planning and potentially significant investment. Nobody can responsibly assess all of that in two weeks.”
Built to train the industry
Construction of Elmwood began in 1995, with input from leading golfers, greenkeeping specialists and conservation experts, and the course opened in 1998. It was developed as part of Elmwood College’s specialist golf education provision, giving students practical experience in greenkeeping, turf management and golf course operations. The site includes a driving range, practice greens and workshop facilities.
Full-time HNC and HND golf course management programmes were withdrawn in 2022 in favour of distance learning. In 2023, the full-time NC greenkeeping course was also withdrawn, which was Scotland’s only full-time, entry-level greenkeeping programme of its kind.
“First the full-time training courses disappeared. Now we’re being told the golf course is surplus to requirements because it is no longer used for education,” the spokesperson said. “Surely the question should be whether that educational role can be restored, rather than whether the course should disappear altogether.”
Save Elmwood also says that Fife Golf Trust, which runs seven public courses in the county, began talks with SRUC in early 2022 about a possible partnership or rescue. However, the discussions were complicated by reported annual operating losses of more than £200,000 and the need for financial support, and no formal proposal was agreed. They ended when SRUC put the course on the open market, and the trust has reportedly not been asked to reopen them.
“An unsuccessful commercial discussion does not necessarily mean every alternative has been exhausted,” the spokesperson said.
The group is also calling for detailed financial information to be made available to prospective operators, including historical income, staffing and maintenance costs. Former Elmwood staff have raised concerns about historical operating costs and how spending was allocated, it says. “We are not disputing that running a golf course costs money,” the spokesperson said. “We are saying the figures must be transparent.”
A wider review
The closure announcement comes during a broader examination of Elmwood’s future following a report by Professor Sir Ian Boyd, published in June. It led to an Elmwood Project Group, chaired by North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie, and plans for a Community Consultative Group. The Project Group is expected to report in December.
Prospective community representatives have written an open letter to Rennie asking him to intervene over the deadline. Campaigners argue that closing the course before the process is complete risks prejudging Elmwood’s educational and community future.
Save Elmwood has launched a petition calling for the closure to be paused, the financial evidence to be published and the course’s future to be considered in a transparent process. It is asking golf clubs, greenkeepers, course managers and the public for support.
“Once the course closes and the infrastructure disappears, bringing it back could be extremely difficult,” the spokesperson said. “We are asking for six to 12 months, full transparency and a genuine opportunity to find a viable future.”
The petition is at elmwood.scot.
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