Inverness 18-hole golf course to close as membership falls

An Inverness golf course is set to close permanently from the end of February due to declining numbers of players.

The 18-hole course at Fairways, which is under new ownership, will join the growing list of UK golf club closures – although other facilities including the nine-hole course and driving range will be retained and upgraded.

Major investment is also planned for a state-of-the-art electronic golf simulator and an extensive refurbishment of the restaurant.

Led by Aviemore property developer David Cameron, the new owners say the decision to close the 18-hole course is due to to insufficient use and declining membership following the new King's Golf Club at Torvean which opened last summer.

But Mr Cameron said membership at Fairways has fallen steadily and is now below 90.

“The course has lost money for years and has struggled to meet its maintenance costs - and now members have departed to the first-class new council-owned King’s Club at Torvean,” he said.

”It is a counter-attraction which has proved the final straw for Castle Heather which is unviable going forward.

“Studies show that two golf courses a month are closing in Scotland, and this week there have been new proposals to close five courses in the Glasgow area.

"We’re just part of the trend.”

But he was confident of a sustainable future for the nine-hole course which will close mid February for upgrading work and re-open in mid March.

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