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25
Jan
Spofforth Golf Course: ‘we’re not promising it's going to be amazing…yet’
The Curtis family took on Spofforth Golf Course last October following months of uncertainty surrounding its future.
The 130-acre site was listed for sale in the summer of 2023. An unknown buyer took it off the market the following November, but the sale fell through, and the Curtis family saw an opportunity.
The Stray Ferret received a flurry of enquiries about whether the golf club would re-open. The short answer is: yes.
“When you come down the drive, you can see the potential to turn what it is – and what it was known for – into something much more special”, Adam Curtis said.
Adam, one of the Curtis sons, will run the site alongside his father, Martin, and brother, Tom.
Adam proclaims to know little about golf, unlike his father who is a keen player. His brother, however, plays professionally.
Adam said his brother will likely become the on-site professional at Spofforth:
Tom will probably base himself out of here – we can’t find anyone better, really.
I don’t think I can even do him justice, but he has got one of the longest drives out of anyone we’ve ever known. He can really whack a ball!
Tom has played golf since he was a child – our father took us out to his local club at Bingley. Tom excelled from the get-go; he was very good. He went over to America to play professional golf and now he has a family here.
Adam’s background is in wool, but after his business suffered a major fire in 2023, the family’s new venture is a welcome change.
He told the Stray Ferret:
My business actually had a fire just over a year ago. It was an accident, but a builder set fire to my warehouse.
Luckily, no one was hurt. But we sold specialist British wool and that can’t really be replaced straight away.
The warehouse was in Pool-in-Wharfedale and the blaze destroyed 20 years worth of stock.
Adam said he can “kind of smile about it now”, especially as no one was hurt, but feels the golf club is the future.
Part of the course.
'We're trying to get everything in tip-top shape'
The Stray Ferret also wanted to find out what the family's plans are for the site. Adam told us:
Well, it’s quite early days. We’ve had a lot of family meetings to talk about it and our priority at the moment is just trying to get everything in tip-top shape – especially the greens.
I think what we would like to do is re-open this spring, because that gives the course time to dry out.
Getting the greens looking presentable and getting people back, letting them use it, are the priorities.
The club was previously the area’s only pay-and-play 18-hole course, which Adam said will also continue once the course is open again.
He also told the Stray Ferret the course will open as an 18-holer immediately and someone will operate the clubhouse.
We asked whether the clubhouse will be refurbished. Adam said:
I don’t know what capacity we’ll be offering anything else other than golf and the driving range just yet. I think [refurb] is long-term. We’ve never run a golf course before and there’s a lot to learn.
We don’t want to disappoint anybody.
The driving range at Spofforth.
Another integral cog at the club is long-term employee, John. Adam said John has worked at the club for many years and knows the course well, so he will help the family maintain it.
They also hope to enlist the help of a consultant who can advise on how best to manage the greens.
It’s clear the family’s priority is offering a course that is in the best possible condition, but golfers are advised not to expect a radical transformation just yet.
Adam said:
People can definitely expect nicer greens. Short-term, it’s just going to re-open as people remember it.
We’re not going to promise anybody it’s going to be amazing…yet. Long-term, we want to make it amazing. We’d like to turn it into a decent, popular golf destination.
I mean, I guess it already was but there are things that could be done better. There’s just so much potential to take it a few steps higher, so long-term that is what we want – a centre of fantastic golfing.
Adam told the Stray Ferret the family’s current message is: “we will be open again soon and please come on back, enjoy it for what it is”.
There isn't a minimum age for golfers at Spofforth and the course will be open daily once it re-opens in the spring.
“There will always be the opportunity to play here”, Adam said.
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