Exclusive:Historic Scottish golf club handed huge boost in bid to safeguard future

Members of Scotscraig Golf Club, the world’s 13th oldest club, have unanimously supported a proposal to open talks with prospective funding partners in a move aimed at safeguarding its future.

The green light was given by the members of the Tayport club, which was founded in 1817, at an EGM on Tuesday night after the vote had been described by board members as a “turning point for the club and an historic decision”.

Members had also been reminded about how “recent weeks have seen a number of Scottish golf clubs fail and either simply close or fall into insolvency”.

That was in reference to The Hirsel in Coldstream closing overnight last month after a vote was taken to seek bankruptcy and Torrance Park in Motherwell then shutting its doors as well.

“That outcome is not one which we were prepared to countenance or risk, and the route proposed to members will avoid Scotscraig ending up in the same position as those clubs,” said an email to members.

They have now given their backing to the Fife club’s board to hold discussions with third parties, the aim of which will be to secure its long-term future.

A club spokesman told The Scotsman: “The membership has unanimously supported the board’s motion to progress negotiations with prospective funding partners to work towards securing a sustainable and exciting future for this historic club.

“One thing is that the club has seen the difficulties that are coming and have been forward-thinking enough to take the appropriate action to work towards securing the future of the golf club.

“We already have a number of interested parties and the board has identified their preferred funding partner.

“It’s been a long road to get to this point because for all the information that has been presented to them (the members) over the last couple of years, they were obviously listening but didn’t let on.

“However, when push comes to shove, they have been right behind the board and their golf club to ensure its future.”

Scotscraig has been used by The R&A as a Final Qualifying venue for The Open, with Justin Rose qualifying there for the 1995 Claret Jug event at St Andrews. The Englishman is now an honorary member and hosted a Rose Ladies Series event there.