On June 30, 2018 Elsternwick golf course farewelled its last golfers and is to be transformed into a redeveloped parkland and urban forest. LMS was the lease holder decided to not take up their option of a second 10 year lease.
Over the years there has been much talk about the future of the site. With declining player numbers extra revenue streams were needed to keep the lease viable. LMS wanted to redevelop the course into a driving range, mini golf and pitch n putt. There were talks with Golf Vic, Golf Australia and the PGA to try and make a home of golf in the location. In 2012, after extensive public consultation, this proposal was declined.
As no future development was going to be approved, LMS handed back the lease and once again council went to public consultation to decide Elsternwick’s future. The vote went against retendering the course for golf (4 to 3) - a major disappointment to the many local golfers that called it home. A long history of golf on the site is now lost.
Brighton golf course has been working closely with the Elsternwick members to ensure they can still continue to play as a club.

Kingston Links Closure
Unfortunately another course has closed its doors and is due for redevelopment. Kingston Links, perhaps Melbourne’s best and most challenging public access course, closed its doors forever on June 30 and it too will be missed by many a public access course golfer.

Brighton Golf Course redevelopment
In May 2017 Bayside City Council and Brighton GC undertook a Storm Water Harvesting Project (SWHP). Anyone who has played Brighton knows it is one of the best public courses in winter as it drains so well, but come summer it does get extremely dry. The SWHP aims to keep the course looking green year round.
The project is now nearing completion with just the final touches and beautification of affected areas to be finished. New features constructed on the course during the SWHP include a new dam on the 11th hole providing golfers a 70m water carry from the back tees, original dams made more than twice the size, reconstructed tee boxes on the 11th, 16^th and 18th holes, refurbished on course toilets, filling in of poorly placed bunkers, drainage for bunkers which flooded, removal of dead pine tree zones, planting of over 1500 native plants and new improved pathways.
Take a trip to the golf course this year and you will be amazed in the works and transformation.

Course news courtesy of Hacker Magazine

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