Local golfers have been assured their interests will be safeguarded in a new deal for the management of Carnoustie links.
It is the most significant change in the way the courses will be run under Angus Council’s custodianship.
A new company will take control of the courses as part of a drive to ensure the Angus venue remains on The Open Championship rota.
Carnoustie Golf Links Management Committee will transfer responsibility to Carnoustie Golf Heritage and Hospitality Group Limited (CGHH).
The first phase of the new deal will run until the current CGLMC lease expires in 2033.
And the long-awaited agreement is expected to unlock huge external investment as part of the Carnoustie masterplan.
Millions have already been spent at Carnoustie Golf Hotel which an international consortium bought in 2023.
A special meeting of Angus Council agreed the major change as St Andrews was announced as the tournament’s host venue in 2027.
Council finance director Ian Lorimer delivered an assurance aimed at quelling the “nervousness and disquiet” among local players.
He said: “One of the main objectives is to ensure that the golf courses are available for local people at a reasonable cost.”
How will local golfers’ interests be protected?
A key element of the new deal is a Golf Access Rights Agreement (GARA).
It includes:
- CGHH will be able to set the prices for play by visitors without reference to the council or CGLMC
- Season ticket prices which are not in line with inflation (CPI) must get the council’s prior approval
- Tee-time access will operate as at present for season ticket holders
The GARA will also ensure a minimum level of season ticket availability for Angus residents
“We will be monitoring very closely how the GARA works in practice,” said Mr Lorimer.
The council has spent more than £150,000 since 2021 on putting the deal together.
“A lot of the work and energy over the past several months has been to manage and mitigate the risks,” said Mr Lorimer.
“It is also worth mentioning there is a risk of doing nothing.”
CGLMC chief executive Michael Wells previously warned the consequences of failing to secure a future Open Championship would be a threat to the quality of the courses and the viability of the links business.
Golf worth £20m-a-year to Angus
Councillors heard on Tuesday that golf generates around £20m annually in the county, supporting 800 jobs.
In an Open Championship year that figure rises exponentially under the global sporting spotlight. The last event in 2018 brought a record-breaking crowd of 172,000.
Former Angus Provost Ronnie Proctor hailed the work put in to finalise the deal.
“The ball has rolled down the fairway for long enough, let’s get a drive on it and bring the benefit to Angus.”
Councillor Kenny Braes added: “When it’s all done and dusted, what I want to see is the golfers of Carnoustie having really good courses to play on, and at reasonable cost.
“I think we’re on track to deliver that.”
Conversation