Dundonald Membership - Cheerio!

[Jacko_G]

I am hearing that Dundonald Links have lettered all their members telling them as of next year they're no longer welcome and memberships will cease. Corporate and pay only plus stay and play once the lodges etc are all up and built including the new clubhouse.

Also heard that the course will close in October this year to facilitate the building work and course renovation work.

A real shame for the members as I think its a tremendous track, great layout and great test of golf. Certainly (for me) far better than a lot of higher rated course that I have played.

 

[KenL]

Very poor indeed, I've not played but always fancied it. This decision puts me off somewhat.

Any idea what the membership fee was?

 

[patricks148]

funny enough one of the guys i played with last week mentioned he had heard some rumors from friends down there about the course

 

[Parsaregood]

Great course, it was £1500ish. Shame the new owners are going down this route as it's not catering for proper golfers IMO. I'd rate it as the 3rd best course in ayrshire behind only royal troon and turnberry but the club side of things never really took off and you can see why

 

[Grant85]

No real surprise.

Why charge locals relative buttons to play the course 365 days a year when they can close down every winter and make more money charging tourists £150 a pop from April to October?

 

[Deleted member 17920]

What a shame but I guess the new owners have a different vision.

Cant see what the vision is, holiday home golf resort or targeting the Americans?

Really enjoyed my one round with @Jacko_G there and I have a feeling it will be my only round there if it goes silly US money!

 

[sunshine]

Fantastic course. If it had the history / cachet it could be on the Open rota.

It started off as the winter course for the members of Loch Lomond so closing the membership looks like it's going full circle.

 

[Robster59]

I've played it, and a nice course but if you think what is happening to golf in Scotland at the moments with many members clubs struggling but a high demand for "top end" (read expensive) golf courses, this is the market they are aiming for.

 

[ger147]

Was always going to happen, it was just a matter of when.

Not really the sort of course that could be maintained on the basis of having traditional golf members.

 

[Jacko_G]

Fantastic course. If it had the history / cachet it could be on the Open rota.

It started off as the winter course for the members of Loch Lomond so closing the membership looks like it's going full circle.

It started out as a course in its own right. Possibly under the guise of Southern Gailes if my memory is correct. It got into a bit of difficulty and was bought out possibly originally by the Bank of Scotland before Loch Lomond took it on. Again that could be utter nonsense but it "rings a bell" somewhere in my deepest darkest furthest corner of my brain.

It really is a brilliant course and it's a course that grows on you the more you play it. Tremendous use of the land and great architecture.

I wouldn't disagree with what Parsaregood said. It's miles better than Prestwick which is highly ranked by some publications.

 

[stevek1969]

We had some cracking days out at Dundonald ,remember going down there and paying £50 for 36 holes and lunch doubt you'll see deals like that again

 

[sunshine]

It started out as a course in its own right. Possibly under the guise of Southern Gailes if my memory is correct. It got into a bit of difficulty and was bought out possibly originally by the Bank of Scotland before Loch Lomond took it on. Again that could be utter nonsense but it "rings a bell" somewhere in my deepest darkest furthest corner of my brain.

It really is a brilliant course and it's a course that grows on you the more you play it. Tremendous use of the land and great architecture.

I wouldn't disagree with what Parsaregood said. It's miles better than Prestwick which is highly ranked by some publications.

Kyle Phillips designed the course on the site of Southern Gailes. Here you go:

https://kylephillips.com/press/dundonald-course-linking-with-past-and-a-great-future/#more-522

 

[Jacko_G]

We had some cracking days out at Dundonald ,remember going down there and paying £50 for 36 holes and lunch doubt you'll see deals like that again

Tremendous days Stevie. Tremendous.

 

[IanG]

We had some cracking days out at Dundonald ,remember going down there and paying £50 for 36 holes and lunch doubt you'll see deals like that again

It really was a bargain in those days. Great addition to the Ayrshire scene, shame it seems to be moving away from being an asset for locals.

 

[Foxholer]

Played it several times many years ago and was VERY mpressed - even though a lot of it was created with buldozers!

Seems the way Scottish Golf is going - either devoted member owned gems or tourist oriented (and expensive) big names. Occasionaly both!!

Course the other side of the railway still right up there in the 1st classification!

 

[User20204]

Brilliant course, see they have the back to black on again this year, now that's a challenge.

 

[patricks148]

TBH i only played it a couple of times and neither it was in particicularly good condition, it didn't think much of it and would rather be the other side of the railway line

 

[Jacko_G]

It really was a bargain in those days. Great addition to the Ayrshire scene, shame it seems to be moving away from being an asset for locals.

To be fair it never really has been. Membership for 7 days was capped at 200 if I remember correctly, 5 day I'm unsure of numbers. It was never a member's club, didn't even have a club championship, was told that Loch Lomond wouldn't allow it. Whether that's true I don't know.

I guess they don't want to have to juggle members tee times with paying guests and corporate.

 

[IanM]

Not an uncommon theme. I know of one other place that would dispense with "members" if they could guarantee revenue outside of the "main season."

 

[Captainron]

I also enjoyed the course immensely as your guest @Jacko_G. Was really impressed by the layout