Changes at St Mary’s

Club becomes pay-and-play venue

THE impact coronavirus is having on sport has resulted in St Mary’s Hotel & Golf Club becoming a public pay-asyou-play complex, writes Tony Poole.

Unlike other golf clubs in the area that recommenced action towards the end of last month - following the easing of restrictions brought about by the coronavirus lockdown - the Pencoed-based facility isn’t reopening its two golf courses until later this month.

In a brief message on the club website, it stated that due to the uncertainty surrounding these unprecedented times, St Mary’s Golf Club will not be offering an annual membership at this time.

It’s being replaced by a public pay-asyou-play complex with details following shortly on how to book tees.

The cost of 18 holes of golf on weekday mornings is listed as £18; for an afternoon round it’s £14-50 and twilight golf (available after 5pm) £11.

The rates then increase to £22 for a morning round on weekends; £16-50 for a weekend afternoon with the twilight game on offer at £12-50.

Though the club did lose a significant amount of members a few years back, following a dispute over a clubhouse booking, it still catered for an active Senior Section membership, who staged weekly tournaments throughout the year.

Saturday competitions continued on a regular basis, and the club also possessed a highly active Ladies Section.

But the cost attached to remaining at St Mary’s was paramount, as an average golfer playing just two rounds per week would have to pay around £2,000 per annum for the privilege of continuing to tee it up in Pencoed.

The golf section contained in the 150acre St Mary’s Hotel & Golf site was established in 1990.

And owing to its close proximity to junction 35 of the M4, it soon became a popular venue on the western fringes of the Vale of Glamorgan, during the golf explosion triggered by coverage on Sky Sports television.

The private parkland club offers two golf layouts – the main 5,335 yards par 68 course along with the 12-hole Kingfisher that was opened during the spring of 1992.

The main course is considered a good test of golf, as it contains a plentiful supply of trees, tricky bunkers along with water hazards.

But already members have voted with their feet, and headed for other golf destinations.

It’s believed around 50 members have already arrived in neighbouring Coychurch, and joined the Coed-y-Mwstwr club.