Golfers digest plan to partially rewild Devon course

Proposals for Teign Valley Golf Course would see the 18-hole course replaced with a 12-hole one

A golf club's proposal to rewild a large section of its Dartmoor course has been met with "sadness and frustration" by members.

Teign Valley Golf Club owners 360 Sycamore Ltd, said "early stage" proposals include replacing the 18-hole course with a new 12-hole circuit.

Without this "major investment", it said the club would close.

Member Tony Landau said the plans "didn't improve anything for the membership".

He added: "We don't wish them any ill. They are entitled to do with the club as they wish but we would very much rather this wasn't happening."

Tony Landau said members were suffering a "minor bereavement"

Mr Landau, senior members captain, said the proposed new course would be "akin to a luxurious pitch and putt for holidaymakers".

He added: "We like to think of ourselves as the friendliest golf club in the South West and we play so many games, we have mixed sections and we all love it.

"This feels like we are all suffering a minor bereavement."

Bryan Logan said he would miss the club as it had become such a big part of his life

A website on the proposal outlines a 12-hole course, eco-friendly cabins and a farmstead, as well as new trees, woodland, grassland and wildflower planting.

The website, which says that 84% of golfers were adult males, said the vision was to create an "inclusive, family-friendly high-quality visitor destination".

In a statement sent to the BBC, a spokesman from 360 Sycamore said: "We are now considering a new future for Teign Valley Golf which will see nature return to the course on a grand scale.

"This will involve extensive areas of the existing golf course land being given back to species-rich habitats such as developing Atlantic rainforest, diverse grasslands, scrub and wetlands."

Club owners said the plan would see "nature return on a grand scale"

He said course designer Tom Mackenzie had drawn up ideas for a reconfigured 12-hole course, while Padel tennis and Pickleball would be introduced.

Meanwhile, an "outdated" plan for 19 bedrooms on the car park site would be replaced by eco cabins which were more "environmentally and economically sustainable".

'Forever club'

Bryan Logan, a member for two years, said he could see there was a "business case" for change but that he felt "sadness" on a personal level.

"It's a large part of my life, quite sadly I play there an awful lot," he said.

"I thought it would be my forever club.

"Everybody is looking at where we can go next which will, in effect, break up that social group."

Former member Dale Hurrell said he felt sadness for the "loss of a community" and feared the honours boards would "end up on a skip".

He said "no serious golfer" would travel to the proposed course and that the changes would end the club's competition potential.

Mr Landau has been a member for 13 years

A spokesman for 360 Sycamore said: "Teign Valley Golf club is not sustainable - financially or environmentally - in its present form.

"There is an urgent need for major investment, not least because the irrigation system - which is vital for any golf course - is no longer fit for purpose.

"Without significant changes, the course would have to close permanently."

He said proposals were at an early stage and stakeholder consultation was ongoing.

Dartmoor National Park said it was aware of proposals and had given pre-planning advice, adding: "When an application is submitted, it will follow the usual planning determination process."