Charlesland members in shock but local clubs rally round
Wicklow club’s end of year closure is eased in part by neighbouring goodwill gestures
MEMBERS of Charlesland Golf Club in Co Wicklow say they were left “shocked and devastated” last week to get just three months notice that their club will close on December 31.
But it appears that plans to take legal advice may now be losing impetus after it emerged that a series of local clubs have offered to absorb a huge part of the 600-plus Charlesland membership and that the question of pro-rata refunds of fees has also been resolved.
Owned by the Evans family and affiliated to the GUI and the ILGU since 1993, the members struggled during the financial crash of the mid-noughties but felt better times lay ahead as membership increased during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Carr Golf has maintained the course and managed its overall operation since 2014, when the Evans family decided to take responsibility for the business, discharging the club’s liabilities.
The business steadily improved thanks to a €1 million renovation and the introduction of innovative schemes such as Flexi-membership. But the club was always playing “catch-up” following the lean years, wearing away of the appetite for golf among the younger members of the Evans family.
While Carr Golf were keen to take on the business themselves, the Evans family announced its decision to close last week and that has caused much unhappiness among the membership, who declared in a statement issued by vice-captain Domhnall O’Neill that they were entitled to 18 months’ notice, not three.
“The members of Charlesland Golf Club, more than 600 in total, have been shocked and devastated by the unexpected announcement to close the club within three months, on 31st December 2020,” the statement read.
“This announcement was issued by the Evans family without prior consultation with the club officers. Members expected a minimum notice period of 18 months would be given in advance of any closure plans, in line with the access agreement agreed with the Evans family, thereby allowing for an orderly wind down.”
He said members were finding it difficult to find new clubs during the Level 3 coronavirus restrictions, adding that no figures had been produced to show that the club was not viable, triggering a three-month notice clause.
That was a surprise to Carr Golf, who also allayed fears expressed by some members that Flexi-members would not receive pro-rata refunds.
All members will receive pro-rata refunds for the total they are entitled to
“The entity is triggering notice under the three-month provision, showing that the club is inviable,” a Carr Golf spokesman said. “High level committee meetings have been held over the last year showing the cash the Evans family have been putting into the club.
“It is a little bit disingenuous to hear members say they are surprised to hear it’s struggling and that financial performance is playing a role here.
“As for Flexi-membership, there has been some misunderstanding with the refund policy here. Any Flexi members who joined during the year will receive a pro-rata refund for the credit balance beyond January 1. For instance, if you joined on July 1 this year and paid €1,500 but haven’t gone out much, you would be entitled to a pro-rata refund of €750 on December 31. All members will receive pro-rata refunds for the total they are entitled to.”
While Level 3 coronavirus restrictions will make it difficult for Dublin-based members to explore membership options in Wicklow clubs, it is understood that several local clubs have offered to take in many Charlesland members.
Many have already joined Blainroe, which can accept up to 70 members, offering 15 months membership to the end of December 2021 for €1,500 without joining fee.
Druids Heath has said it can accept up to 300 members while Powerscourt has put a solution in place that would enable up to 75 Charlesland members to play within a Charlesland affiliated club at Powerscourt for one year.
The Charlesland members will have priority on any new Powerscourt memberships that come up thereafter.
It’s understood that Delgany can take between 60 and 80 members while Bray is reviewing its capacity limits with its committee and plans to revert with an offer soon.