Historic Golf Club Shuts Down After 132 Years; Site Approved for Housing Development
May 11, 2026; Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, The ball and club of Rickie Fowler as he lines up a shot during a practice round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
May 11, 2026; Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, The ball and club of Rickie Fowler as he lines up a shot during a practice round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
A 132-year golfing legacy is set to disappear after local authorities approved plans to replace the former Redhill and Reigate Golf Club with 10 new homes.
In May 2026, Reigate & Banstead Borough Council approved a plan by developer Aquinna Homes involving the site, which closed in 2019 and subsequently became common land.
Speaking at the time of the 2019 closure, then-chairman Tony Hallett addressed members directly.
"Sadly, the club is no longer financially viable. And the time has come to accept our combined efforts have been in vain. And the club must close," he said, according to Bunkered.
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 08: Detail view of Under Armour golf shoes worn by Jordan Spieth of United States of America during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard 2026 at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course on March 08, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire GOLF: MAR 08 PGA, Golf Herren Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon5732603080984
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 08: Detail view of Under Armour golf shoes worn by Jordan Spieth of United States of America during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard 2026 at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course on March 08, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire GOLF: MAR 08 PGA, Golf Herren Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon5732603080984
"Relations between the club and the council remain very positive. And it is to be hoped they ultimately succeed in finding a long-term solution that will enable golf to return to the site."
The council had previously said it wanted to keep the site as common land and find a way for golf to continue. That will no longer happen after plans for 10 homes were approved.
A housing application for the site was first submitted in 2022 and rejected. However, it was later approved on appeal, and Aquinna Homes' latest proposal received council approval in May 2026.
The approved plan includes six detached four-bedroom homes, two semi-detached three-bedroom homes, and two semi-detached two-bedroom homes, all with parking and gardens, according to The Sun.
Redhill and Reigate Golf Club: How a 132-Year-Old Course Reached This Point
The club opened as a nine-hole layout in 1887, expanded to 14 holes in 1890 and 18 holes in 1892, and remained member-owned for 126 years before being sold to private owners in 2013. At the time of its opening, only Guildford Golf Club, founded in 1886, was older in Surrey.
After years of financial difficulties, the course closed in 2019. The clubhouse continued operating as an events venue until 2022, when the site finally shut its doors for good, according to The Sun.
Redhill and Reigate's financial struggles were not unique. Consultancy firm Custodian Golf estimates that one in five golf clubs across the UK are financially vulnerable.
The council's position after the 2019 closure was clear on paper. According to Bunkered, Cllr Alex Horwood said the council wanted to keep the site as a golf course for community use in the future and was "looking at different options and possible operators" to make that happen.
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Written by
Sneha Abraham
Edited by
Pulkit Prabhav