Anyone fancy buying a course?

[HotDogAssassin]

Swindon B.C. are selling 3 of their 4 courses, including Broome Manor.

http://www.golfclubmanagement.net/2014/01/swindon-council-puts-its-courses-up-for-sale/

 

[Doon frae Troon]

My old gaff.
When I left in 1998 the courses were making between £300 to £400k a year profit.
They stopped re investing so there you go.

Sad, but probably for the best.

 

[woody69]

I live in Swindon, but have only ever played Broome Manor once and that was only 9 holes. Not a great course IMO and needs some serious investment.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

The sad thing is that by packaging the courses with other sports facilities they will prevent the members of a pretty active club [once had over 1000 members] from bidding.
Same as competitive tendering in the 1990's.
The HGK and I wrote the spec for the maintenance of the courses and we cleverly went down a quality management road which frightened off any bidders. Hours and hours of our work virtually wasted.
Still first golf course and driving range to be awarded the BS5750 Quality Award

 

[Allanxyz]

I live in Swindon, but have only ever played Broome Manor once and that was only 9 holes. Not a great course IMO and needs some serious investment.

The 9 hole course isn't great I must admit, but the greens were top notch considering the amount of people on the course...

Maybe the Howeller will buy if if he notches up a few more wins this season!

 

[macca64]

The 18 hole course is fairly good as I remember,

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Think it won't be the end. I know Leeds and Liverpool councils have looked at this and sure many others will follow suit. Not sure nomadic golfers will necessarily get a good deal unless loads of investment and cash ploughed in and dependant on how far they run it down before selling

 

[rosecott]

I understand that Sandilands (just up the road from North Shore, Skegness) is up for sale and that £650k will get you your own seaside course.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

The 18 hole course is fairly good as I remember,

I walked round it in October and it was in very good condition.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

I understand that Sandilands (just up the road from North Shore, Skegness) is up for sale and that £650k will get you your own seaside course.

Grange links hotel who own it went bust last Friday, golf club is safe for now. Not good.

 

[Robobum]

The council are doing this with all our leisure facilities, The Oasis was first to go I think.

Both courses are decent for munis - the standard of player there is very good too, lots of county team players from Broome.

The range has been left to go pretty tatty. Used to have the power tees etc - they were no longer working the last time I used it. Absolutely great place to go for some free putting or chipping practice. Great facility.

A few local pros were discussing trying to get backing to take it on.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

The council are doing this with all our leisure facilities, The Oasis was first to go I think.

Both courses are decent for munis - the standard of player there is very good too, lots of county team players from Broome.

The range has been left to go pretty tatty. Used to have the power tees etc - they were no longer working the last time I used it. Absolutely great place to go for some free putting or chipping practice. Great facility.

A few local pros were discussing trying to get backing to take it on.

The problem is they cannot as the courses will be packaged with the leisure centres.
As Broome Manor Estate is high end housing I think that the politicians may have a second agenda.

That range was a sweet deal. Before 1990 it was on some very wet ground.
We then built the UK's first shaped artificial turfed facility.
The deal was funded by taking loads low hazard clinker spoil from the GWR/BREL site [Now MacArthur Glen Outlet] and that paid for all of the drainage, shaping fencing and bays. The only thing the council payed for was the artificial turf.

We were also building Highworth GC at that time so I was a busy wee chappie then.

 

[mikee247]

The council are doing this with all our leisure facilities, The Oasis was first to go I think.

Both courses are decent for munis - the standard of player there is very good too, lots of county team players from Broome.

The range has been left to go pretty tatty. Used to have the power tees etc - they were no longer working the last time I used it. Absolutely great place to go for some free putting or chipping practice. Great facility.

A few local pros were discussing trying to get backing to take it on.

I agree with this Ive been there many time but only to practice.. Its a good facility when its tidied up. They recently upgraded the club house or I thought they were but the pro shop is rubbish and so are the staff/pros (sorry I had lessons and he was less than average). It always helps having a big name tour chap backing them up but Im not sure hes there much at all nowadays.... the courses have potential but they are simple starter focused and muni standard that should be doing well. Dress codes etc are less than relaxed shall we say.....It also has a lot of older members which is a good catch. Its not going to be providing a lot to the more refined golfer but if the new owners think about it and their local market, then it could and should make money in a recovering environment.

 

[Fyldewhite]

Our course was tendered out a few years ago. Usually the council will retain ownership and an operator will come in and run it paying the council and attempting to make a profit in difficult times. There have been issues but also some benefits but to be honest the new company are just as difficult to deal with as the council always were from the clubs point of view!