Maidenhead Golf Club set to merge and move to Bucks

Maidenhead Golf Club has made the controversial decision to merge with Flackwell Heath Golf Club to ensure its survival – evoking strong feelings from its membership.

Contracts have not yet been signed but it is hoped this will happen soon – and both sides seem ‘agreeable,’ said MGC chairman Paul Loudon.

The merger marks the probable end of a long, winding saga that saw the golf club faced with no choice but to move after RBWM made plans to build homes on its land.

In September, Windsor and Maidenhead council paid money to MGC in exchange for its early surrender of the land. Ultimately, MGC must move off its Maidenhead course by the end of next year.

At the end of last week, members received a letter announcing the transformation into merged Maidenhead and Flackwell Heath Golf Club (MFHGC).

Positive in tone, the letter speaks of joining the clubs’ rich histories to make an ‘even stronger’ club. In a press release, Flackwell Heath also said it is pleased with the merger.

MGC members, however, are not all feeling so upbeat.

Flackwell Heath is about eight miles from the Maidenhead course and the Advertiser understands some golfers would rather end their membership than travel so far.

Two members told the Advertiser they found the merger decision ‘sad’ and felt it was effectively the end of a 125-year era for MGC.

One major bugbear is that there was no vote on the merger and little communication about the change.

This is because the club only has to hold a vote when it is proposing to spend a certain large amount of money – and as a merger, no money is being exchanged.

Paul explained that NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) made it difficult for MGC to keep members abreast of all developments.

“As soon as we were able to say where we are, we’ve announced it,” he said.

Some members are disappointed that, according to the club’s letter, there is ‘no facility’ to distribute the funds received from the council.

This money looks likely to be spent on various improvement projects at MFHGC.

MGC acknowledged dwindling membership and a lack of investment was driving Flackwell Heath’s club to a ‘critical point’.

Another concern is that work will be needed to improve Flackwell Heath's course.

MCG acknowledged that Flackwell Heath has a reputation of being ‘very hilly’ with unsafe paths, especially in winter, and is considering some improvements.

Paul said MGC spent ‘a lot of time’ looking at different options and this merging decision is ‘the strongest possibility’ to ensure the club’s survival in the limited time it has to move.

Addressing concerns that Flackwell Heath may be too far to travel, especially for members from Windsor, Paul said:

“When you move from someplace to another, it’s bound to inconvenience someone.

“Everybody likes what they’ve got – now [MGC members] have to move somewhere else, so [some of them] are not happy.

“Everybody knows we would stay if we could, but [RBWM] can’t find a way of not going ahead with the Cala Homes [development].”

There will need to be some injection of cash to cope with a larger overall membership from the merged club, and there will be a transitional period – but MGC is ‘hopeful’, Paul added.

“Flackwell Heath is a fine course in its own right, and we can contribute to make it better,” he said. “They have a golf course, we have some finances.

“It will take time, [but] we see this as an opportunity. We’re positive about the fact that we have a future in front of us. It’s come close to almost falling away a couple of times.”

Both sets of members will be able to play at both clubs before the Shoppenhangers Road course is closed on December 31, 2025.

MGC is planning to hold a series of forums commencing next Tuesday, December 10 for its members and anticipates ‘many questions’.