Sensational-Adelaide.com

Bid to revamp North Adelaide Golf Links

MORE car parking, expanding the clubhouse into a function centre and new toilets are among ideas to improve the City Council's under-performing golf links.

A consultant's review of the North Adelaide Golf Links, which includes the north, south and par-three courses, paints a poor picture of the operation. The review, considered by councillors last week, says:

THE public links have run at a loss of close to $1 million over the past four years;

THE number of rounds played has dropped from 95,000 to 65,000 a year over the past decade; and

THE $750,000 maintenance budget is less than half the national average and poor presentation of the courses is "a major contributor to the decline in rounds played".

Club secretary Bob Naffin said the most pressing need was to expand the nearby carpark, which was also used by people visiting Calvary Hospital across the road.

Among the review's short-term recommendations were more efficient use of staff to improve course presentation, promoting online bookings by offering discounts and a marketing plan for twilight golf.

The council is set to spend $20,000 on a business case study for expanding the clubhouse. The masterplan process is slated for 2013-14. Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood said a clubhouse upgrade might include a restaurant.

He said the council needed to balance improving the financial performance of the golf links with ensuring the courses remained affordable and accessible to the public.

NAGC president Andrew Craig said members would be surveyed about what changes they wanted.

Nathan wrote:Along with the clubhouse, it would be good to see some landscaping improvements, particularly along the edges of the course that are seen to the public. Make it something to be really proud of.

Wayno wrote: A function room is a great idea. The views back over the city are stunning.

rhino wrote:I'm surprised to hear that there isn't a function room, as that is where my wife and I had our wedding reception, back in the day. Maybe that was in the actual clubrooms. Certainly a stunning venue, anyway!