{"id":3143,"date":"2026-05-25T13:28:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T13:28:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/3143\/"},"modified":"2026-05-25T13:28:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T13:28:18","slug":"glasgow-locals-give-closed-golf-course-a-new-lease-of-life-but-development-battle-looms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/3143\/","title":{"rendered":"Glasgow locals give closed golf course a new lease of life &#8211; but development battle looms"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Keen golfers from Castlemilk have teamed up to revive the Linn Park course after it was closed by Glasgow City Council.<\/p>\n<p>13:01, 25 May 2026Updated 13:20, 25 May 2026<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Keen golfers from Castlemilk have teamed up to revive the Linn Park course after it was closed by Glasgow City Council\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_Screenshot-2026-05-25-at-124553.png\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Keen golfers from Castlemilk have teamed up to revive the Linn Park course after it was closed by Glasgow City Council\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Keen golfers from Castlemilk have teamed up to revive the Linn Park course after it was closed by Glasgow City Council(Image: Linn Park Golf Club\/Facebook)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A council-owned golf course which has been given a new lease of life by volunteers could be used for housing, it has emerged.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Keen golfers from <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.glasgowlive.co.uk\/all-about\/southside\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Castlemilk<\/a> have teamed up to revive the Linn Park course after it was closed by <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.glasgowlive.co.uk\/all-about\/glasgow-city-council\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Glasgow City Council<\/a> during the covid pandemic and never reopened.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">But part of the course is earmarked for new homes in the city\u2019s draft development plan \u2014 which is set to go out for public consultation in August.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Steven McKinney, Eddie Montgomery and friends have made nine holes playable again. They want the course to remain for \u201cthe people of Glasgow\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The pair, who are setting up a community trust with the aim of taking over the course, said the feedback from locals has been \u201camazing\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cI can\u2019t even go to the shop for a pint of milk without somebody saying something,\u201d Eddie said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Steven added: \u201cIf you\u2019re a serious golfer, it\u2019s a practice place. If you\u2019re just starting out, it\u2019s ideal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cIf you&#8217;re a young person, a wean or an older person who can\u2019t go and join a club, you can come down here and keep your golf game going.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The pair, who are setting up a community trust with the aim of taking over the course, said the feedback from locals has been \u201camazing\u201d.\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/658447906_919744220813176_1663063537463908234_n.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"The pair, who are setting up a community trust with the aim of taking over the course, said the feedback from locals has been \u201camazing\u201d.\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">The pair, who are setting up a community trust with the aim of taking over the course, said the feedback from locals has been \u201camazing\u201d.(Image: Linn Park Golf Club\/Facebook)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">However, the council\u2019s development plan states the course, at Simshill Road, is \u201cno longer operational\u201d and an area could be used for around 150 homes. It is listed as a long-term project which could be delivered in years seven to 10 of the 10-year plan .<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Cllr John Carson, Labour, who represents the Linn ward, said the golf course is \u201ca much missed amenity for residents since its closure by the council due to lack of funds\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He acknowledged that building more houses \u201chas to be a priority\u201d for Glasgow, but added sport and leisure \u201cmust also be a priority for the health and wellbeing of residents\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Cllr Carson said it was \u201cincredibly frustrating\u201d that while efforts to bring the course back into community use were ongoing, the council was \u201clooking to build houses on the site and slipped the proposal into the city development plan\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He encouraged the community to have their say when the 12-week consultation process gets underway.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Steven said the Castlemilk community has come together to breathe new life into the course. \u201cI didn\u2019t think that existed any more,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Eddie added: \u201cThere\u2019s people I\u2019ve seen down here in the last eight weeks that I\u2019ve not seen since that club was open.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Almost \u00a35,000 has been raised through a <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/linn-park-golf-club?ref=ed_direct\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">fundraiser<\/a>, with some of the cash going towards a ride-on landmower to cut back the fairways.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">At a recent council meeting, an official said the draft development plan includes some changes which are \u201cquite significant\u201d, including at Linn Park where some greenbelt land would be allocated for \u201chousing development\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A council spokesman added the course had been \u201cdecommissioned following a budget in 2020 that required the council to make \u00a350m worth of savings\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cPublicly-run courses taken out of operation experienced low usage and carried a substantial annual deficit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cThe new city development plan is currently a proposal and must go through a lengthy process of scrutiny and representation before it can be formally adopted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cThis process includes a 12 week period for public consultation as well as oversight by the Scottish Government.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cThe proposed plan seeks to open up land for over 30,000 new homes, create economic development areas to deliver jobs and growth and support the regeneration of the city centre.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The spokesman continued: \u201cFor health, safety and insurance reasons, Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Life can\u2019t support or endorse anyone taking action by themselves to play golf at the former course at Linn.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Keen golfers from Castlemilk have teamed up to revive the Linn Park course after it was closed by&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3144,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[2285,2286,44,2284],"class_list":["post-3143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","tag-glasgow","tag-glasgow-city-council","tag-golf","tag-southside"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3143"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3143\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3144"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}