Basingstoke Golf Membership has outlined plans for a phased reopening interval that can start in June, because the Hampshire venue tees off on its journey to a full reopening following a £15million improvement challenge.
The membership, which first opened for play in 1907, relocated to a brand new web site within the village of Dummer in 2021 – buying the land that was dwelling to Dummer Golf Membership on the outskirts of the city – earlier than improvement on a brand new 18-hole championship course started final yr.
DOWNLAND COURSE
The earlier structure at Dummer Golf Membership has been completely redesigned by Weller Designs, with the brand new downland course outlined by a sequence of thrilling and undulating holes that sweep throughout rolling fairways, with numerous strategically positioned water hazards including to the take a look at.
Whereas the complete reopening of the membership is pencilled in for September 2025, a tender opening of 9 holes on the brand new course is ready to happen in late June, with a full 18 holes anticipated to be in play by the tip of the yr.
OTHER FACILITIES
To enhance the gorgeous golf course, a state-of-the-art clubhouse will open in August earlier than improvement begins on a brand new driving vary – that includes the newest instructing and ball-tracking expertise – together with a short-game space and huge placing inexperienced. Full apply amenities are deliberate to be open by early Autumn 2025.
The imaginative and prescient is to create one of many southeast’s premier golf venues, taking the established membership from the outdated membership primarily based at close by Kempshott Park and constructing on the membership’s wealthy historical past to construct a brand new legacy at Basingstoke.
The brand new amenities will allow Basingstoke to regenerate its membership and construct for the long run, whereas sustaining the values and requirements which were the muse of the membership for greater than 100 years.
David Inexperienced, basic supervisor at Basingstoke Golf Membership, mentioned: “This is without doubt one of the most enjoyable golf initiatives within the UK, and it’s our shared want to make sure we develop one of many southeast’s best member-focused golf golf equipment with the standard of amenities that match the funding.
“Basingstoke has at all times been thought of one of many area’s most established golf equipment, however we really feel with the substantial funding that’s being made we are able to transfer it to the subsequent degree and past.
“This can give the present members a novel membership that won’t solely have one of many county’s greatest programs – which will likely be massively playable for all talents – but in addition embody numerous apply and instructing facilities the place they will actually get the perfect from their video games and membership.
These instructing amenities may even assist to draw new and youthful gamers to the sport.
WHEN WILL IT OPEN
“Our deliberate tender opening in late June would be the begin of a really thrilling 18 months, and with our new clubhouse opening later in the summertime, the membership will, I’m positive, develop a way of camaraderie that each one nice golf equipment get pleasure from.
The clubhouse would be the excellent spot to unwind pre- and post-round – for members and their households – with a big bar space and comfy altering rooms. In the meantime, a perform swimsuit will enable us to commercialise in areas we haven’t executed so earlier than.”
Sustainability will play a key position within the improvement and full rebuild at Basingstoke. Two water lagoons will assist to totally irrigate the course, holding a mixed 33,500 cubic metres of water.
In the meantime, the implementation of fescue grass and ryegrass will assist with put on and tear to maintain upkeep work to a minimal.
TYPES OF GRASS
Scott Roberts, course supervisor at Basingstoke Golf Membership, mentioned: “The water storage that we’ve got from our two lagoons is so necessary for the way forward for the membership. To be sustainable, we should supply water on web site and recycle that to irrigate the golf course.
“In the meantime, our grasses – a combination of fescue and rye on the principle taking part in areas and creeping bent on the greens – will assist meet the requirements we count on whereas with the ability to deal with the visitors the course will little question expertise.
We now have additionally included giant areas of lengthy fescue to recreate the native downland panorama as a backdrop to a few of the holes.”
HISTORY OF BASINGSTOKE GOLF CLUB
Basingstoke Golf Membership first opened in 1907. It was initially created as a nine-hole course earlier than James Braid designed a full 18-hole structure in 1926 on a web site in Kempshott Park within the southeast nook of the city.
A parkland course, it could develop to grow to be the most well-liked members’ golf equipment within the space, characterised by tree-lined fairways and refined adjustments in elevation.
Over time, the membership would spend money on a number of key developments, together with the development of a brand new, trendy clubhouse and professional store within the Nineties.
The membership celebrated its centenary yr in 2007 earlier than transferring to a brand new location at Down Road within the close by village of Dummer, buying the land owned by Dummer Golf Membership earlier than work started on the brand new improvement in 2023.
Its downland structure – the work of Weller Designs – is ready to be one of the anticipated designs within the southeast, with state-of-the-art amenities, together with a brand new clubhouse, driving vary and apply areas, complementing the course.
For basic enquiries, together with membership, please electronic mail [email protected]
