![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/3_01jpeg.jpg\")
(Image: Northenden Golf Club)<\/p>\nIn the shadow of the M60, there’s a 100-year-long story of Mancunian resilience(Image: Northenden Golf Club)<\/p>\n
Just three hours into 2025, Roland Harris had his first headache of the year. A couple of hours later, he was facing disaster.<\/p>\n
When the Mersey burst its banks on New Year\u2019s Day, much of south Manchester was devastated, and the council had to evacuate hundreds of people.<\/p>\n
One big casualty was Roland\u2019s Northenden Golf Club<\/a>, surrounded on three sides by the River Mersey. A \u2018green oasis\u2019 in the shadow of the M60<\/a>, it\u2019s played a vital role in Northenden life since 1913, and still proudly sources most of its staff and suppliers from the neighbourhood.<\/p>\n To see planning applications; traffic and road diversions and layout changes; and more, visit the Public Notices Portal HERE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n However, in its 112-year history, the club has had its share of troubles: Not much golf was actually played here for the first five years of its existence, due to the First World War, for starters.<\/p>\n The construction of the M63 in 1969 (later the M60) led to the council buying some of its land, so the course had to close for four years to be reconfigured.<\/p>\n And the last decade has been particularly hard on Northenden.<\/p>\n A fire in October 2014 gutted the clubhouse. Its replacement opened nearly two years later, which allowed the club to make more hospitality revenue and go onto bigger and better things.<\/p>\n But by 5am on New Year\u2019s Day, the club was in ruins.<\/p>\n The floods submerged the course, breaching levies near the third and fifth holes. Water surged half-a-mile towards the clubhouse, and the force of the flow ravaged the relatively new building. The water was \u2018seven feet\u2019 high inside.<\/p>\n On the course itself, \u2018the amount of debris was ridiculous\u2019, recalls member Gary Nolan. Silt, stones, and even a supercar damaged the land. \u201cIn two hours, the damage was done,\u201d he explained, gazing over the newly-rebuilt levy.<\/p>\n Even after the Porsche was removed and debris cleared, it took until April for the course to dry out.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was three weeks until we could get into the clubhouse,\u201d Roland, one of the club directors, added. \u201cWe had to strip back to the brickwork.<\/p>\n \u201cThe clubhouse upstairs function suite was untouched, but we could not access it because the water was at ceiling height at the ground floor. We could not allow anyone in for hygiene reasons. We had to ensure everything was properly dealt with.\u201d<\/p>\n The financial cost is enormous: Roland believes Northenden will lose \u00a3250,000 in the two years from the flood.<\/p>\n That\u2019s partly due to the scale of the damage. It\u2019s partly due to the expensive nature of repairs for specialised equipment, like machines used to meticulously care for the ground staff\u2019s pride and joy, best-in-class \u2018USGA standard\u2019 putting greens.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also partly due to an exodus of members.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause the course could not be played on, we found other courses for our members to play on concessionary rates,\u201d Roland explained. \u201c28 clubs came up with a series of special offers, some for free.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a degree of altruism there, but they would also see an opportunity to gain members.<\/p>\n \u201cSome of our members thought they would not be sure when our course will come back and maybe they will come back later. I\u2019m sure many of those who left will come back for the next subscription year.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, I\u2019m a pragmatist. So I will believe it when I see it.\u201d<\/p>\n Memberships range from roughly \u00a3800 to \u00a31,400 annually for adults, and children and students can join cheaper. A charity appeal<\/a> has helped to raise \u00a320,000, but the club\u2019s target is \u00a350,000.<\/p>\n While these are not small sums of money and will help Northenden recover, it\u2019s not enough to finish repairs: Changing rooms are still missing lockers, honour boards are yet to be cleaned and re-mounted, and there are photos of famous members past include Manchester United legend Sir Matt Busby and his son, Sandy, once president of the club, in storage.<\/p>\n There are glimmers of hope, though.<\/p>\n The Riverslawn hospitality suite, used for family celebrations like birthdays, weddings, christenings, dances, and wakes, is enjoying its \u2018best\u2019 summer so far. Non-members paying visitors\u2019 fees are helping too.<\/p>\n It\u2019s encouragement that after overcoming all those hurdles in 112 years, Northenden Golf Club will be able to overcome its toughest yet.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_golf-fire.jpg\")
Northenden Golf Club – Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service posted this photo on Twitter(Image: Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_O102jpeg.jpg\")
(Image: Northenden Golf Club)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_porsche1JPG.jpg\")
(Image: Russell Miller (submitted))<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_WhatsApp-Image-2025-08-13-at-170858-1jpeg.jpg\")
(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_WhatsApp-Image-2025-08-13-at-170849jpeg.jpg\")
(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n