Moor Park Golf Club in Hertfordshire has unveiled an exciting new vision for the future that will see the prestigious venue revert to its roots and become an exclusive private members’ golf club again.
Under the leadership of recently-appointed chief executive Amy Yeates, the historic Rickmansworth-based club is moving its focus away from the corporate and wedding sectors towards repositioning itself as one of England’s premier golfing venues.
Yeates outlined the plans to Moor Park’s members earlier this winter, with the proposals including significant investment in the club’s golf and clubhouse facilities and services over the next five years.
“Moor Park has been through a period of commercialisation, with mixed messages and a non-defined role for members and the club’s position in the golf industry,” said Yeates, who took up her new role last summer. “The board and I believe that the club needs to redefine its direction and turn the focus back to the people that count most – its membership.
“With this in mind, we have created a new vision to take Moor Park back to being a private members’ golf club in the sense and tradition of a golfing experience. By positioning Moor Park as a premium golf club with facilities and courses to match, we believe that we can secure a lasting legacy that will reinstate us as one of England’s top private members’ clubs.”
Set amidst 300 acres of mature woodland only 19 miles away from central London, Moor Park features two 18-hole championship golf courses – the High Course and West Course, both designed by Harry Colt in 1923 – and extensive practice facilities, as well as a magnificent 17th century mansion clubhouse dating back to 1680.
The club has concentrated in recent years on promoting itself as a luxury venue for weddings and corporate events but will now change direction with, at the heart of the new vision, the overriding aim of ‘enriching members’ lives through an exceptional club experience’.
The club has completed a £1 million-plus investment over the last three years on areas including the High Course and a world-class short-game area and, under the new plans, is proposing a further period of investment on and off the course to improve the members’ experience – both in the short and long term.
Changes planned over the next two years include further investment on the golf courses, increased levels of green keeping staff and investment in course machinery.
In addition, other exciting initiatives will see the relaunch of the Harry Colt restaurant, the opening of a new members’ club lounge and a new sophisticated al fresco dining area overlooking the courses.
Yeates added: “We are proud to have 36 holes of championship golf set within this idyllic and historic estate and are fully committed to delivering top-class golfing facilities, as shown with the opening of our new short game area in April. We are fully committed to delivering our vision, and the changes and improvements will result in an elevated reputation and enhanced status within the overall golf industry. It’s our desire to give members a club to be proud of and that first and foremost starts with delivering two exceptional golf courses.”
Featuring a proud and distinguished history, Moor Park has hosted some of golf’s biggest names including Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer and Justin Rose, while the club continues to play a pivotal role in the careers of European Tour stars Matt Wallace and Callum Shinkwin.
Ranked in the Top 100 Golf Courses in England, the club’s High Course has staged numerous high-profile local, national and international events since being founded. The prestigious Carris Trophy (English Boys’ Open Strokeplay Championship) was launched at Moor Park in 1935 and returns to the club every four years, while the venue has been chosen as a Regional Open Qualifying venue from 2020.