Dead course ALIVE again

[Hack-Man-Hob]

... well just waking up.

Returned to St Thomas Priory (Hawkesyard Estate) today just out side Rugeley in Staffs. It closed last year I believe as a bitter (ongoing) divorce from the owners, legal battles with the split between weddings/golf side of the business, anyway.....

Heard it was back open as pay and play for a tenner, and the work that must of gone into it to get it playable again would have been monumental, a handful of close friends of the son of the owner (who was in the hut today taking the green fees) all for free labour he told me.

Now the greens were certainly not the best (being kind) and considering it took 2 months of free labour on what is a pretty brutal track terrain wise just to open again I just thought it was worthy of a fantastic well done to everyone involved. :clap:

A rare story of a course rising from the dead. A couple of years at least before it gets back to former glory, the facilities are just a shed with some score cards, he was telling me they plan to get the clubhouse open again soon.

Just the enthusiasm from him was unbelievable only a young kid but was completely dedicated to getting this track running again, ten quid for 18 holes any time any day and a quid for 100 balls at the range on site.

I'll be driving the 20 miles to pay me tenner +1 to help with the cause again sometime soon

 

[Hobbit]

Maybe its a sign of the times. Woodham, near Darlington is to reopen on Aug 1st.

 

[matt71]

Good to read things like that, there is one course in Preston that has done the same (ingol) however I feel they may struggle to keep the place going, I hope I am wrong

 

[garyinderry]

good to hear. the young fella has taken over from his father at my old track and made big moves! fair play, when the heart is in it there is no end!

 

[ScienceBoy]

After my experiences with Malton I would probably not visit a place like that just yet, true the effort is to be commended and congratulated. If they have a solid looking plan and finances in place to get it up to a decent standard then I would actually consider a membership there in hope of it turning into a gem, as long as it is at least a good place for a regular knock.

However I have been down the road of putting faith into a club, waiting and hoping for it all to turn around. Sadly it just got worse and ended up dampening my desire to play golf.

I will in future put the course quality higher up my list as I have seen up close and personal what happens when it goes to bear minimum upkeep. True Malton was on the downward slope, hopefully this track is on the up.

I do wish those involved in the best of luck, I don't think golf courses are a great way to make lots of money but they are a good way to earn a living if you can balance the books.

Lets hope and pray this does not go down the route of my experiences with similar situations.

 

[Alex1975]

Great story!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Good news. I hope they can use the winter to consolidate and it'll be much better next summer

 

[MegaSteve]

Believe what was the Lime Trees golf course at Northolt has re-opened recently...