BUILDING A NEW FUTURE FOR BASINGSTOKE

Golf

GN: For those that aren’t aware, can you provide a little bit of the backstory behind Basingstoke Golf Club and how it came to find a new home at Dummer Golf Club?

Scott Patience: There has been much talk of Basingstoke Golf Club moving to a new site since property developer Charles Church was interested in purchasing it in the 1980s. Finally, as part of the local plan, Basingstoke Golf Club agreed to sell the Kempshott Park site in 2018. A sale was agreed with Bloor Homes in 2020. There were a number of other options considered before purchasing Dummer Golf Club in 2021, which is less than a mile from the old site on other side of the M3 at Junction 7. The club moved across in June 2021 before starting the full course works in July 2022.

The Dummer site is currently undergoing a major renovation. What does that involve and what is the timescale for completion?

There has been a full redesign of the course by Bruce Weller of Weller Designs. There will be 18 new tee and green complexes which will be built using the latest creeping bent grasses and although the fairways generally stay as they are nearly 50% will be newly seeded with fescue.

Conor Walsh of CJW is the course contractor and subcontractor Ocmis are putting in a state-ofthe-art irrigation system under the watchful eye of Roger Davey of Irritech. O&D Construction have been assigned to build the new clubhouse, greenkeepers’ compound and driving range.

Provisional works started in February with the clubhouse due for completions in summer 2024 and the full project in early 2025.

The course build is going well, with 13 greens having been seeded and germinated before the site shut down for winter. The major works on the course are due to be completed by June this year, with the aim for it to be fully open for member play in the summer of 2024 and visitor play in 2025.

The ambition for the club, going forward from 2024, will be to be considered one of the premier golf facilities in the south of England. We will have a state-of-the-art clubhouse, driving range with all the modern technology, and a superb golf course for all to enjoy.

What has been the reaction from members at Basingstoke and Dummer been to the project? Overall, I think the reaction has been that of excitement from members. The new course is now taking shape and looks fantastic. We currently have an interim 9-hole course, so members can see all of the work being done as they go round. Along with that, we created flyovers of the course works and shared these on our YouTube channel and on TVs around the clubhouse. This takes the members on a journey, as the project develops, and we can compare the works over time.

Where do you see the club fitting into the local provision for golf in the area. What kind of golfers will the club appeal to?

We would like to be the best in class and plan to appeal to all ages and abilities of golfer, sitting alongside this will be state-of-the-art clubhouse and practice facilities with an inclusive feel where members come first.

What membership opportunities will be available to golfers who weren’t already members at Basingstoke or Dummer?

We currently have a waiting list of over 80 people who are poised for when the new club is up and running. Some of these are in our “prospective” category, which enables them some playing rights and the use of the bar and catering facilities. Although not technically members, they are part of the experience and can see the new course being built and what we will have to offer in the future.