Central London Golf Centre has a short 9 hole golf course offered on pay and play basis and a short fully enclosed netted driving range.

The future of the golf centre has been put in doubt by its landlord, London (South West) & St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, due to the Trust’s planning application to redevelop the site of Springfield Hospital and the golf centre.

It won’t be the first previous asylum site to be redeveloped and it won’t be the first golf course to be lost to housing and other development. Previous rounds of the planning process have been won by opposing residents, backed by some high profile names. Including Mr. Colin Montgomerie.

The trust appealed, and its appeal was heard at a public inquiry beginning on 8 November 2011. It seeks to answer ojections relating to the golf centre by proposing a public park (see para.5.2 Trust’s Statement of Case).

Closure won’t mean the loss of a great course, see the sad demise of a respected design or dissolution of a long established club. It will lead to a reduction in the facilities of London which provide an accessible introduction to golf. Accessible, that is, in terms of location and in price. And it will lead to development of a hospital, park and housing. At the expense of some listed buildings.

It’s in the hands of the planning inspector and the Secretary of State now. And when a policitian is faced with the choice of more housing and less golf, it’s time to start bringing in the flag sticks.