Golf Preserve in Hobart to go ahead after receiving council approval

[FuzzyJuzzy]

Looks like Mat Goggin's Golf Preserve project near Hobart Airport is going ahead after council approval. Most of you blokes are probably already across it, but if not, it looks to be a pretty exciting development. Two Ogilvy Clayton designed courses, amongst a bunch of other stuff, is on the Master Plan, if that comes to fruition.
See the links below. I'd be very interested to hear what Members of the nearby Tasmania Golf Club and Royal Hobart Golf Club think of the Golf Preserve project, if there are any on here wishing offer some local Tassie perspective...
http://golfpreserve.com
http://www.golflink.com.au/news/local-news/2014/07/tassie-tops-for-australian-golf-clayton/

[braddles]

Hopefully both courses get the final sign off! There is talk that Royal Hobart will move down to the second course (heath) and sell off the existing course. The new course is expected to cost $5m to build, which is roughly what RHGC would get for their large practice range. It makes financial sense to change course, however I am sure the old members will vote against it.

[Coldtopper]

One golf course per 60k residents needed for a course to be financially sustainable atm in Aust. Seems a few golf speculators are having a go and that can only be good for the game and hopefully a few crap courses close in the process to enable the good to succeed. Hope they both get up as I like Claytons designs. RH is one of the worst Royal Courses in OZ IMO.

[FuzzyJuzzy]

One golf course per 60k residents needed for a course to be financially sustainable atm in Aust. Seems a few golf speculators are having a go and that can only be good for the game and hopefully a few crap courses close in the process to enable the good to succeed. Hope they both get up as I like Claytons designs. RH is one of the worst Royal Courses in OZ IMO.

Is Tasmania considered better than Royal Hobart? Looks better, purely judging by their respective websites...

[Collis]

One golf course per 60k residents needed for a course to be financially sustainable atm in Aust. Seems a few golf speculators are having a go and that can only be good for the game and hopefully a few crap courses close in the process to enable the good to succeed. Hope they both get up as I like Claytons designs. RH is one of the worst Royal Courses in OZ IMO. I think there is 84 courses in Tasmania for a population of just over 500,000 (5,952) per course. And they are building more courses.

[Coldtopper]

I think there is 84 courses in Tasmania for a population of just over 500,000 (5,952) per course. And they are building more courses. so a few crap courses will close. Not a bad thing as too many courses are still operating that should have closed long ago. It is not a bad thing imo mergers are good fot the industry and new courses will only highlight the need

[Collis]

Is Tasmania considered better than Royal Hobart? Looks better, purely judging by their respective websites... Royal and Tasmania are very different courses.Royal has 100 bunkers, flat, narrow fairways (wayward tee shits are dead), perfectly maintained and best practice facilities.Tassie has great views, very hilly, most holes you can blaze away. Royal is very financial, tassie isn't that well off.Hard to say which is better as there are so different to each other.

[Collis]

so a few crap courses will close. Not a bad thing as too many courses are still operating that should have closed long ago. It is not a bad thing imo mergers are good fot the industry and new courses will only highlight the need I don't think many will close. In southern Tasmania there is only 3 proper metro courses (royal, tassie and Kingston) would not class claremont or north west bay as metro.There are 5 courses within a 10k radius, 7 if the goggin development goes ahead. The three 9 hole courses have very good member numbers.

[rodders]

I have fond memories of walking along that part of seven mile going fishing with a mate when I was in my teens.

We walked about 3km in the the middle of the night, pouring rain, carrying our fishing gear and trying to avoid the pissed bogans hooning in their beach buggies.

Got one small flatty between us.

Thank god something useful seems to happening down there!

[grandmasterb]

I can see why Matt would want to leave his mark in his home state but given the current financial up & downs of 99% of courses/clubs here in the state I think its a major gamble and honestly don't think its the right place for the development.

[Collis]

I think be perfect barnbougle had a heap of people before lost farm.
This is 15 mins from a city with other stuff to do. Don't know how the resort will go though.

[braddles]

I have been told the expected break-even point is 45 players per day (average over the year), with green fees just over $100. This seems reasonable, especially if it is a top 5 course in Australia.

[grandmasterb]

I think be perfect barnbougle had a heap of people before lost farm.
This is 15 mins from a city with other stuff to do. Don't know how the resort will go though.

And yet Claremont have to sell off land (and their debt) in the hopes that the developer will continue with the project just so they have a course. North West Bay's future is looking very grim and may not be around come Christmas time, Kingston is still carrying debt and with the current outlook for the club from the one sighted committee its only going to get worse with no "new blood" coming through.

[Collis]

And yet Claremont have to sell off land (and their debt) in the hopes that the developer will continue with the project just so they have a course. North West Bay's future is looking very grim and may not be around come Christmas time, Kingston is still carrying debt and with the current outlook for the club from the one sighted committee its only going to get worse with no "new blood" coming through. People will not travel to play average courses ie. Kingston.I would not even call north west bay or claremont average, just sh*t.Kingston is ok, bit back and forth.North west bay is a goat track. Claremont is a white elephant, development or not will not help it.To attract people you need a course the standard of barnbougle,lost farm or better. Not the courses we have down South ATM.

[grandmasterb]

And surprise surprise council back step and its no longer going ahead, Matty's dream is crushed!!!