Wentworth tells members ‘critics will be expelled’

MEMBERS of Wentworth golf club have been threatened with expulsion if they say anything critical about the establishment or its Chinese owners.

A new rulebook states that anyone who makes comments “injurious to the character or interest of the club” on social media, the internet or to a newspaper or magazine could have their membership rescinded. Grievances can only be aired in private, it said.

Wentworth, near Virginia Water, Surrey, was acquired in 2014 by Reignwood, a company owned by the Thai billionaire Chanchai Ruayrungruang. Mr Ruayrungruang is based in Beijing, where online activity is strictly monitored and criticism of the state on social media can be censored.

Disquiet among the members began soon after Reignwood proposed to cut the number of members from 4,000 to 800, and those invited to remain would be charged a one-off payment of £100,000 before annual fees were taken into account.

Those plans were abandoned after uproar from members, but fees have since risen from £8,000 to £13,500 per year.

Membership is said to have declined by 40 per cent in the past two years. Vocal critics who may fall foul of the new rules include Sir Michael Parkinson, who has been a member for more than 25 years along with his wife, Lady Parkinson.

Last year he spoke out about changes at Wentworth, telling The Daily Telegraph that the new owners “came in without any regard for the traditions or feelings of members of the club”. Sir Michael warned that the situation “will all end in tears”.

Wentworth defended the new rule book and said members were welcome to make complaints internally.

A spokesman said: “One rule has been amended to include express reference to current forms of media; as before the Club wishes for member complaints to be handled through the established internal channels, committees and consultative forums at the club, rather than through the media.

“This rule is in common with equivalent rules at other private member clubs.”

Reignwood bought the club from the restaurateur Richard Caring for £135 million and is in the process of investing £20 million in the golf courses, clubhouse, spa and fine dining facilities.