Campaigners call for more time to save Fife golf course facing threat of closure

Elmwood Golf Course in Fife has already seen the plug pulled on its clubhouse, professional shop and catering facilities by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) after attempts to secure an alternative operator came to nothing,

It has given members until a week on Friday to express interest in assuming operational responsibility of the facility in Cupar.

But that timescale has been criticised by campaigners who have called for a pause in the closure process of six to 12 months to give golf organisations, prospective operators and local representatives a "realistic opportunity" to develop a plan for a sustainable future for the course.

The developments came after the SRUC couldn’t persuade St Andrews Links Trust to add Elmwood to its portfoliolio of courses in north-east Fife.

With running costs of up to £300,000 a year, the college said “urgent action” was now needed.

Gavin Macgregor, college deputy chief executive wrote to members and said: “The golf course is no longer used for educational purposes and is therefore surplus to the institution’s requirements. As an educational charity, we are now legally unable to further subsidise losses for a private venture without an underpinning charitable purpose.”

A college spokesperson added: “With no successful outcome we must take immediate steps to mitigate ongoing financial losses.

“Our first step was to cease catering operations and close the clubhouse and pro shop from October 24 and begin efforts to limit operational costs. Golf club members have been asked to confirm whether or not they would be willing to take over operational management of the course by Friday November 6.” He said SRUC would then consider the possibility of an ownership transfer if there was a “credible and viable proposition developed” - but if none was forthcoming then its operations would continue to be reduced, leading to a full course closure by the end of next March.

The SRUC said any such move would not have an impact on its educational operations.

A ‘Save Elmwood’ campaign has been launched in a bid to secure the future of the course which was opened in 1998, and trained many of Scotland’s greenkeepers.

A spokesperson said: “Scotland is the Home of Golf, and Fife is at the very heart of that reputation. Elmwood was built to help train the people who maintain and manage our golf courses. It provided opportunities for young people to enter an industry that is vitally important to Scotland.

“First the full-time training courses disappeared. Now we’re being told the golf course is surplus to requirements because it is no longer used for education. Surely the question should be whether that educational role can be restored, rather than whether the course should disappear altogether.”

The campaign said the two-week timescale was too short to make a detailed pitch to take ove the facility.

“Running an 18-hole golf course is a serious undertaking. It requires proper financial due diligence, a sustainable operating model, staffing arrangements, equipment, maintenance planning and potentially significant investment. Nobody can responsibly assess all of that in two weeks.

“We are calling for a pause of six to 12 months so that a credible solution can be. There may be a sustainable future for Elmwood, but those willing to explore it must be given a fair opportunity.

“This is about more than saving 18 holes. It is about protecting opportunities for grassroots golf, maintaining valuable sporting infrastructure and considering whether specialist golf education could once again be delivered at Elmwood. Once the course closes and the infrastructure disappears, bringing it back could be extremely difficult.”