Renishaw Park Golf Club closes after more than 110 years

Renishaw Park Golf Club has been hit by regular flooding in recent years

A golf club which has been hit by flooding and falling memberships is closing after more than 110 years.

Renishaw Park Golf Club, near Sheffield, is said by its landlords to be "no longer sustainable".

The course, which sits on the Sitwell Estate in Renishaw, was built in 1911 by aristocrat Sir George Sitwell.

Sheffield Union of Golf Clubs secretary Graham Needham said the closure of the "fantastic" venue was a "sad loss", adding: "Gutted is the word".

He said: "Over the years it's been a fabulous place to visit. Everything about it is old tradition in golf terms.

"We all looked forward to going there. In the days when I started it probably had the best greens in Yorkshire.

"It's a great part of history, it's a sad, sad loss. It will be very sadly missed."

'No future beyond'

According to its website, the course "retains many of the original features and specimen trees from its early days".

However, Mr Needham said the course, which lies next to the River Rother, had been badly affected by regular flooding in recent years, which had led many members to leave.

Those left rallied round and pledged almost £20,000 to try and keep the club open, but their efforts were in vain.

The money "is not sufficient enough to see us through the winter months and present a viable business plan," the club said in an email to its members.

"With this in mind we are respectfully declining the very kind offers made and will not be using your money to prop up the club for the next couple of months with no future beyond."

The decision to close was made following independent advice, with the final round of play on Sunday, the club said.

Assets may need to be sold to pay outstanding creditors, it added.

The course was regarded as having some of the best greens in the region

A statement from Renishaw Hall & Gardens, which runs the Sitwell Estate where the club is located, said: "The club has been struggling in recent years due to a decline in memberships, together with course issues caused by the increased frequency of flooding, and its operation is no longer sustainable.

"We are working closely with the club on a managed handover and the estate is relieving the club and the trustees of their liabilities."

A spokesperson for Fisher German, responsible for marketing the course, said there had been an expression of interest from a prospective new owner.

However, they were unable to provide a timescale on when it could reopen.

Andy Smith, club secretary, praised the "fantastic response" but admitted: "We would have needed quite a lot more than £20,000.

"Even if we did survive we would be spending thousands and thousands of pounds just on the one fairway.

The course is located on a flood plain and had suffered badly in recent wet conditions, added Mr Smith, one of 11 staff members at the club whose jobs had been lost.

A member of the club since 1992, he said: "It's been a difficult day showing people around and listening to the stories they have got was warming. It's a pity we can't push it further.

"I know there have been inquiries and we have passed them to the landlord.

"They are talking to each other and we are hoping they can come up with a result that can move it forward."