There is ‘universal approval’ for the wider investment in South Ayrshire’s golf courses, but ‘almost unanimous disapproval’ against the plans to change the layout of Belleisle golf course to accommodate a new development centre.
Independent Councillor Bob Shields was the only member of the council’s cabinet to push back on the council’s golf strategy, adding that the development centre was still considered merely ‘a driving range’ by those raising concerns.
He said: “When I played golf, you were given five minutes to find a lost ball.
“Since last October we have had five months, but no-one seems to have found a way of addressing the problem that exists between altering the course and golf strategy.”
At that point Council Leader, Martin Dowey, interjected to allow SAC legal chief Catriona Caves to step in.
She said: “The purpose of the report is about the implementing of the golf strategy, not the Belleisle paper or any issues or any decision making around that, so it is not really appropriate for the commentary around that.”
Cllr Shields replied that he believed it was part of the golf strategy.
Cllr Dowey said that a separate paper would be brought to cabinet on Belleisle, with an officer confirming it would be March, before allowing Cllr Shields to continue, saying : “I’m sure there is going to be a lot of discussion regarding Belleisle at that meeting in March.”
Cllr Shields accepted the opportunity to raise his concerns at that meeting, telling the cabinet that he noticed that an updated report was not due for a year adding: “I just didn’t want to see this disappear from the public debate.”
Council Officer Alistair Mutch had outlined the progress of the golf strategy to the cabinet. He said that the figures around people playing the eight golf courses had remained consistent and the ‘gold’ memberships were also continuing to be much higher than they were pre-pandemic and continued to ‘follow an upward trend’.
He said that there were 5,100 members by the end of 2024, with the golf team running three clubhouse cafes as part of the wider golf estate adding that “while the hospitality sector remains challenging, due to inflation increases in costs and wages, the year-on-year combined income has increased significantly over the last two-three years.”
That saw income rise from £200k to £400k in just two years.
Sports and Leisure spokesperson, Council Brian Connolly, welcomed the report and pointed out that the golf assets had been under-invested in previous years and that work was needed to bring them up to standard.
“We’ve got a model, as golf has changed significantly over the last three or four years,” he said.
“You used to have to join a private club, more or less, to get a handicap and that is no longer the case. They can join, they can either use our flexible membership, or they can use our season tickets.
“They don’t need to join a £1000-a-year private club.
“The model is really good for municipal courses and we have seen really impressive courses over the last 12 months struggle financially. A lot of our figures are going in the opposite direction.
“On the hospitality side the figure is tremendous.”
He said that he was a regular at the Stables at Belleisle, adding that the majority of the people who use the cafe are not golfers.
“They go there because it’s a great setting. You can park your car and go for a walk, you can go into the Stables for a coffee.
“It is a success and the footfall is high.
“Golf is also the biggest green space and plays an important role in the health and wellbeing of the council. ”
Councillor Hugh Hunter welcomed the hospitality figures, adding: “I think the cafe at Belleisle was always crying out to be used more and I am delighted to learn that it is.”
Councillor Bob Pollock pointed out that there was an increase of 2,000 visitors on the previous year and that the work carried out previously in Troon had demonstrated that the investment was making a difference.
He said: “We’ve seen an increase in the number of people joining the South Ayrshire Golf Club, which we have already heard is a route for many people towards getting a handicap and affordable golf.”
Cllr Pollock described the ‘pain’ both he and Cllr Connolly had gone through with the alterations to the Darley course in Troon.
He added: “What we’ve actually seen displayed is the fact that although the course was closed for a substantial period, playing over Lochgreen has increased since and I’m astonished that Darley is up by 24 per cent. ”
He said that those who have criticised the projects should ‘reflect’ on the figures, adding that the council was making strides through marketing and outside engagement to make the most of golf as one of the biggest drivers of tourism in South Ayrshire while also bringing in more affordable golf and making it easier for girls and people in more deprived areas to play golf.