Some of the greatest names in the game have worked their magic at West Middlesex Golf Club, but now the historic course is set to close with local authorities removing its long-term lease.

West Middlesex Golf Club has quite the history.

James Braid, Willie Park Jr and JH Taylor – with 12 Open Championship victories between them – as well as renowned architect Fred Hawtree have all put their mark on the 135-year-old layout, which was founded in 1891 as Ealing Golf Club, around 15 miles west of central London. It has also counted esteemed artists Hal Ludlow and Harry Rountree as former captains.

Now, though, it faces the prospect of being closed.

West Middlesex, which today has a membership north of 400 and employs almost 30 people, has had its 75-year lease revoked by Ealing Council, which, The Golf Business reports, wants to “sell a 2.27-acre plot to a company that acted as debt funder to bring the golf club out of administration in 2022 to recover its investment”.

The report adds that the club has been “granted a short-term ‘excluded lease’ allowing it to remain on the site only until September 30, 2027” – though this type of lease “carries no automatic right of renewal”.

The club’s general manager, Alex Finch, says Ealing Council will “look to reallocate the land for property development and other unknown projects” and that he was not consulted during the process that could lead to its closure.

In a message on the club’s website, Finch wrote: “We want to be clear – we are not opposing the Council’s plan for this site. Our goal is simple. We are asking Ealing Council for a seat at the table so we can be part of the conversation regarding the future of this land. We believe there is a way forward that serves the Council’s broader vision while preserving a historic community asset.”

In a petition approaching 5,000 signatures, Finch described West Middlesex as a club that “offers more than just a venue for sport – it is a vibrant social hub complete with a clubhouse, bar, and restaurant” that “isn’t just open to a privileged few” and “prides itself on accessibility and inclusivity”. 

You can sign West Middlesex’s petition here.