George Carden,in Ifieldand
Bob Dale,South East
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The club is due for closure in April 2027
Campaigners have gathered to protest against a decision to close their local golf club so houses can be built on the site.
The government’s housing agency Homes England has owned the site at Ifield in West Sussex since 2020 and has given notice that the club will need to leave by April 2027.
The site is part of an application to build 3,000 homes, which is still to be considered by Horsham District Council.
Homes England said it had given the club as much notice as possible and intended to proceed with its proposal, while Horsham District Council said it could not comment on a live planning application.
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Alan Covey believes the closure will force some players, young and old, out of the sport for good
Alan Covey, a member and a manager and selector for the England Boys golf team, said the news was broken to them in a meeting two weeks before Christmas.
“2027’s our centenary, so it means we’re not going to celebrate our centenary,” he said.
“The sad thing is the whole aspect has not got planning permission so this land could lay fallow for years and years and years.
“There’s not enough places around the county for these members to go, all the golf courses are full up, all the junior sections are full up. Some will give up the sport entirely.
“It’s their life, these guys come here every day, have a coffee with their friends, it’s not all about golf, it’s about community and mental health, and it’s being taken away from us.”
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Gillean Fuller says many friendships have been forged through playing at the club
Gillean Fuller, a member for 40 years, said: “We’ve got friendships here that we’ve had for decades. We look out for each other in difficult times, there’s lots of widows and widowers.
“They feel embraced by this club and they’d be so sad to lose that.”
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James Shelford says he would miss friends he has made at Ifield Golf Club
And James Shelford, who has been a member for 60 years, said: “We knew it was on the cards since 2020.
“I’m going to miss it and miss my friends.”
Homes England said the site currently had a draft allocation of 3,000 homes as part of the area’s local plan, but that if the application failed its current use for outdoor sports would remain in place.