The future of the Cheltenham Golf Club is under threat.
PROFESSIONAL golfer, Matt Griffin was one of many Cheltenham Golf Club members who spoke passionately at a recent Bayside City Council meeting urging councillors to renew the long term lease the club has on land which borders Victoria Golf Club.
Cheltenham is believed to have been somewhat blindsided by an apparently unsolicited proposal by Victoria to contest the current council lease which expires in five years.
Victoria says it is concerned about the safety of its members, staff and visitors from errant balls hit by golfers playing Cheltenham. Local football, netball and soccer clubs have voiced their concerns alongside Victoria.
While publicly at least, the issue seems to be about safety for golfers, Cheltenham members think Victoria has bigger plans should it successfully contest and be granted the lease. And that is to build a two-tier commercially operated driving range and replace the current nine-hole layout with a pitch and putt facility.
The council was reminded Cheltenham has been operating as a private-public golf course since 1930. Members told council it is a space open to walkers, bike riders and nature lovers to enjoy the abundant flora and fauna. It is also a community hub for non-golfing groups like the Probus Club.
“As an eight-year-old, I first experienced golf at Cheltenham with my parents and grandparents. When I was 12, I used to ride my bike here and play with my mates,” Griffin said.
“It was my introduction to the game and it allowed me to go on and make a long-term 20-year career in professional golf.”
Griffin said many golfers learnt to play the game at Cheltenham. “One of them was (US Open champion) Geoff Ogilvy,” he said.
“Cheltenham is a rare place where generations can play alongside each other, and young golfers can be taught the etiquette and rules of the game in an affordable environment.”
Broadcaster Sam Hargreaves told the meeting the public-private Cheltenham club was a safe haven and inclusive of everyone.
“A member who lost his wife 12 years ago told me recently it was the place he felt most at home since her death. Another gay man in his 50s told me it was the only place he ever felt safe,” Hargreaves said.
The Bayside Council has called for the community’s response before deciding on whether to renew Cheltenham’s lease with a final decision in November.
This follows an 800-signature petition to council led by Victoria GM and Bayside resident, Warwick Hill-Rennie. It asks council to initiate a public expression of interest process to allow community groups, clubs and organisations to put forward proposals which would “enhance recreational and sporting outcomes for the community”.
“This is a rare opportunity to re-imagine how this land can serve the Cheltenham and Bayside community for decades to come,” Hill-Rennie said.
“We encourage council to prioritise community outcomes and to actively engage local residents and clubs in determining the site’s future use.”
Professional golfer Matt Griffin, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour of Australasia, spoke passionately in support of Cheltenham GC.
Cheltenham certainly has the means and plans to mitigate works to keep their neighbours safe.
Bayside Council said in a statement.
“The Cheltenham Golf Club site comprises a clubhouse, car park and nine-hole golf course. The clubhouse and part of the car park is owned by the club on freehold land. The course and part of the car park are situated on Crown Land, reserved for use as a public park.
“The not-for-profit Cheltenham clubs pays $69,994 (plus GST) in annual rental to council. The proposed new lease would provide the club with the stability required to facilitate the required course upgrades to address the errant golf balls safety concerns on its boundary with Victoria Golf Course (8th and 9th holes) and the 5th tee, while also enabling the Club to proceed with its implementation of their Tree Management Plan.”
The post Cheltenham blindsided by their nearest neighbours first appeared on Inside Golf. Australia's Most-Read Golf Magazine as named by Australian Golfers - FREE.