Golf course supported by DeChambeau loses survival bid

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A golf course near Glasgow that earned the support of Major winners Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Rose is to close over funding issues.

West Dunbartonshire Council said it could no longer afford to subsidise Dalmuir Golf Course after a steady decline in membership.

The local authority announced the decision as part of a package to close a £7.7m funding gap, which included an 11.5% increase in council tax.

More than 3,500 people had signed a petition to keep the course open, arguing that closure would cut off a way for working class people to get involved the sport.

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The council said it would explore opportunities for the course to be passed into the hands of the local community via an asset transfer.

It said it spent about £145,000 subsidising the course in the last year, equating to about £805 per member.

A spokeswoman for the council said: "Despite significant efforts, regrettably membership and usage of Dalmuir Golf Course has continued to decline.

"Our budget gap for 2025/26 was £7.7m and we expect further financial challenges in coming years so we must prioritise protection of the essential services we provide to residents including education, housing and citizen support."

Two-time US open champion DeChambeau appeared in a video posted by long-time tour caddie Craig Connelly on X.

The major winner stressed the importance a club can have in the community where Connelly lives.

A number of other world-class golfers including Rose, Paul McGinley, Luke Donald and Robert MacIntyre also gave their backing for the course to stay open.

The course was saved from closure last year and it is home to a number of clubs in the area including Clydeview Cleddans, Clydebank Overtoun, Kilbowie and Radnor golf clubs.

Councillors weighed up various options, including whether to increase membership costs, reduce the course to 12 holes or close it completely, before coming to a decision.

Funding for the Loch Lomond Highland Games was also removed as part of the money saving measures.

Gerry Smith, who launched the petition for the course to remain open, said prior to the decision that a community asset transfer would be looked at for the course - which would let the local community take it over.

Craig McLaren, of Clydebank and Overtoun Golf Club, said locals feared the area could become a "wasteland" if it closed.

He added that the course had "gone downhill" in recent years and that West Dunbartonshire Council had not managed to do minor tasks such as updating the course's website with correct information.