Dalmilling Golf Course finances are better than par

Apr 3 2009 by Stuart Wilson

DALMILLING golf course has been raking in cash – despite council claims it’s a loss-maker.

More than £46,000 of PROFIT has been made during the last four years.

Figures obtained by the Ayrshire Post under the Freedom of Information Act reveal the stark truth.

But councillors had claimed Dalmilling was part of a massive golfing black hole in South Ayrshire.

And they chose to axe the course so they could “review its future use”.

But the truth has been revealed this week, with the council wanting to build a £30m school on the fairways.

However, the figures prove that Dalmilling is one of South Ayrshire’s better performing courses.

It comes as no surprise to the golfers – who are disgusted that their popular course is to close.

Ladies captain Jackie Ridge confessed: “The deeper we dig, the more inconsistencies we find.

“We don’t think the finances are at the nub of the problem anyway.

“The council want theland to build on and wenow know that.”

Of the region’s eight public courses, Dalmilling is comfortably in the top half when it comes to financial performance.

Last year’s loss of £3945 was their first drop into the red for three years.

And the record compares favourably with Belleisle and Seafield, which lost a combined £149,269.

Carrick courses Maybole and Girvan also lost nearly £70,000 between them.

But despite their awful record, it’s Dalmilling in line for the chop.

The Council are preparing their bid to the government to win funding for a school and possible housing to follow on the site.