When a golf course changes to football

[Duckster]

Wigan AFC owner, Dave Wheelan, has unveild his plans to turn Charnock Golf Club (which he bought last year at a bargain basement price) into the new Training and Academy facilities for Wigan. Couple of links here to thereports in the local rag (badly reported as well, nearly all the residents I've spoken to are for it as opposed to it becoming a housing estate).

http://www.chorley-guardian.co.uk/news/local/wigan-set-to-submit-plans-for-golf-club-1-6573068

http://www.chorley-guardian.co.uk/n...-ground-scheme-at-public-exhibition-1-6576505

Full plans should be viewable somewhere on here (can't get on through work's proxy):
www.signetplanning.com

Now I've grown up in the village there and used to be a member of CRGC, but it was badly managed and failed. It was never going to be a course that set the world alight but it was a great place to start and get into the game. I was sad to see the course shut, but at the same time I'm glad that it's going to be a football academy (rather that a housing estate) and think the plans looked pretty good when I viewed them on Tuesday.

I guess the point of my post is do people feel that there are times when a golf course has "run it's course" and things need to move on? Can the shutting of a golf course, in the grand scheme of things, sometimes be a good thing?

 

[Birchy]

Good to see another north west club building a first class academy. Can only help to produce more young british footballers.

BTW Do you know that Dave Whelan once broke his leg in the FA cup final?

 

[Duckster]

Good to see another north west club building a first class academy. Can only help to produce more young british footballers.

BTW Do you know that Dave Whelan once broke his leg in the FA cup final?

Did he?....

It does look decent. I was having a chat with the architect guy who likes the ground they've got to work with etc.. So far the only people I've heard saying bad things about it were members when Wheelan bought it and then shut it once they found out that no equipment was being sold with it (separate auction). He's always said that he planned to make the academy there.

Plus there's still a decent 9 hole course in the village plus Shaw Hill, Chorley & Duxbury all in spitting distance (and all better courses).

 

[pbrown7582]

Good to see another north west club building a first class academy. Can only help to produce more young british footballers.

BTW Do you know that Dave Whelan once broke his leg in the FA cup final?

there was plenty of press coverage of that incident prior to last years final. Sure you don't really want reminding of it though

 

[Ethan]

Reading FC has just shut Bearwood Golf Club, a 9 holer just around the corner from Bearwood Lakes which they plan to redevelop as a training facility. BL have gained a few new members as a result, but plenty of others aren't too happy.

 

[Sir Scoop-A-Lot]

Reading FC has just shut Bearwood Golf Club, a 9 holer just around the corner from Bearwood Lakes which they plan to redevelop as a training facility. BL have gained a few new members as a result, but plenty of others aren't too happy.

I was a member at the Little Bearwood Golf Club until they announced the closure last year. Was a lovely little course. Shame one sport has had another close.

However I do support Reading so can only mean good things for the club!

 

[louise_a]

there is no danger of any clubs in Blackpool being bought to provide a training ground for the football club.

 

[pbrown7582]

there is no danger of any clubs in Blackpool being bought to provide a training ground for the football club.

maybe the ground sold off for houses though they've only had a mere 26mill out so far ......

that's nothing compared to our kind generous American owners in M16