West Dunbartonshire Council axes Dalmuir Golf Club, ignoring thousands of pleas to save it

A Scottish golf course backed by Major winners Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Rose is set to close permanently after West Dunbartonshire Council voted to withdraw funding. Despite a passionate campaign to save Dalmuir Golf Club, the council cited financial constraints and a steady decline in membership as reasons for its decision.

The closure is part of a desperate effort to plug a £7.7 million budget shortfall, which has also led to an 11.5% increase in council tax. The move has sparked outrage among local golfers, with over 3,500 people signing a petition in a last-ditch attempt to keep the club alive.

West Dunbartonshire Council confirmed that membership numbers had plummeted, making it financially unviable to continue subsidising the course. In the last year alone, the local authority spent around £145,000 keeping it open—equating to a staggering £805 per member.

A council spokeswoman defended the decision, stating that despite efforts to maintain the course, membership and usage continued to decline. She explained that the council had to prioritise essential services such as education, housing, and citizen support.

But critics argue that the council’s lack of investment is to blame for the decline. Longtime tour caddie Craig Connelly, who grew up playing at Dalmuir, believes the course was left to rot. He claimed there had been no investment for at least five years and that neglect had driven members away. He said the council had continually pulled back on maintenance, and now they were shutting it down entirely.

Despite gaining high-profile support from some of the world’s top golfers—including DeChambeau, Rose, Paul McGinley, Luke Donald, and Robert MacIntyre—the campaign to save Dalmuir was ultimately unsuccessful.

DeChambeau appeared in a video posted by Connelly, stressing the importance of local golf clubs for communities. But his plea, along with thousands of signatures from local golfers, was ignored.

Connelly remains hopeful that a community asset transfer could be the last hope for Dalmuir. He believes it may be the only way forward, allowing the local community to take ownership and keep the course alive.

The closure of Dalmuir has fuelled wider concerns about the future of Clydebank, an area already struggling with economic hardship. Locals fear the loss of the course will leave young people with even fewer opportunities. Connelly said that without Dalmuir, he wouldn’t be where he is today and stressed the need for reinvestment in youth.

Craig McLaren, of Clydebank and Overtoun Golf Club, echoed these fears, warning that without proper upkeep, the land could quickly become an abandoned wasteland.

The council also scrapped funding for the Loch Lomond Highland Games as part of its cost-cutting measures.

For now, Dalmuir Golf Club stands as another casualty of budget cuts, leaving a once-thriving community asset to fade into memory.