The Caversham – home of Reading Golf Club – formally reopened its clubhouse last month to mark the end of a long and eventful journey that has seen the two golf clubs become one.
Back in 2018, Reading Golf Club, faced with a declining membership, took a bold step to merge with nearby Caversham Heath, which was also facing similar problems. The unification plan involved part of the land from the old Reading club being sold for housing to finance an ambitious reworking of the expansive Mapledurham-based Caversham Heath course, while also adding a new driving range and six- hole practice facility. The clubhouse, which as originally built in 2000, was also earmarked for a major redevelopment.
About 10% of the old Reading GC was designated for housing – a 223-home development has recently been given the go ahead by Reading Borough Council – with the rest remaining as a green space. A big chunk of that has been taken up with Fairways Family Golf, which has a 9-hole course, 18-hole disc golf course and 9-hole Footgolf course.
In the spring of 2019 Canadian golf course architect Tom McBroom was brought in to transform the Caversham Heath layout, which now offers eight different yardages, ranging from 5,519 to 7,265. McBroom focused on reducing the walks between tees and making the course more interesting.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNATURE HOLES
The opening holes in particular were given a radical new look, while the old 13th was taken out of the layout and a driveable par four put in its place. The 15th was turned into a par three and the 18th got a new green, situated on a hillside by the clubhouse. The old 13th has been turned into a specialist short game area with a variety of bunkering and options to practice.
While the changes were being made, clever logistical planning meant the Caversham Heath members were able to keep playing ‘the old course’ while Reading members also stayed at their original home until the big switch on April 1, 2021.
The clubhouse, which forms the last part of the jigsaw, was officially re-opened by former Masters champion Ian Woosnam on July 8, with the former world no.1 joined by former world snooker champion Dennis Taylor, both of whom took part in an 18-hole competition among the members, which was followed by a dinner and dance.
OTHER FACILITIES AT CAVERSHAM
In addition to the traditional facilities, the new-look clubhouse also houses a fitness suite, treatment rooms, an open-plan golf simulator. The function room is able to accommodate up to 140 people, while a new balcony, which runs along the side of the first floor, has space for up to 80.
Gary Stangoe, general manager at The Caversham, said: “Before Covid, golf and golf memberships in particular had been in a steady decline and clubs like Reading with limited opportunities to expand and add much-needed additional revenue streams were suffering more than most.
Some of our land had already been identified for housing and late in 2016 we started investigations to try and secure the future of Reading Golf Club. No-one could have envisaged the rollercoaster ride we were about to embark upon, but we can stand out on the balcony of the new-look clubhouse and look around with a sense of real pride.”
And for Stangoe and his team it will mark the end of one chapter and start of a very exciting new one. He said: “After a few years of uncertainty and upheaval, the members are now able to enjoy
all of our new facilities. Although the new layout opened in 2021, the disruption to ‘normal club life’ continued and it will be great to get back to regular club social activities.”
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