Municipal golf courses back on financial fairway after River Road closure

Municipal golf courses look to bounce back 3.5 years after council decision to close a course, new data reveals how other courses have fared – CTV London’s Daryl Newcombe explains.

Golf is once again paying for golf as London’s municipal golf course system is on more secure financial footing.

The news comes after council made the bold decision to permanently close River Road Golf Course several years ago.

Highlights from the 2023 season

“Last year with about 120,000 rounds, between Thames Valley and Fanshawe, it was the most in recent years,” said Mike Vandertuin, manager of sport services. “It was extremely successful.”

Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis praised the rebound, “We have a golf system that's healthy, that's thriving, that's seeing, a bit of a boom period right now,” he said.

In 2021, a report by city staff warned that the financial outlook for municipal golf was bleak.

Council agreed with a recommendation to permanently close River Road Golf Course and focus on the remaining four courses.

The closure was contentious with many long-time members lamenting the loss of the course in east London.

But the data shows that the number of rounds played at the four remaining courses have steadily grown since the closure.

“Because we're not putting money into a course that's losing money, we've actually had revenue that has been able to be redirected to improve, our other two courses,” explained Lewis.

Vandertuin added, “We've invested in the clubhouses at both Thames Valley and Fanshawe and started to do some investments out on the golf course to make them more playable for all levels of play.”

Lewis is eager to see a staff report being prepared about how much of the former River Road Golf Course can be sold for development and how much will remain as parkland.

“The private sector is doing the same thing,” the deputy mayor says. “At the planning committee this past week we approved a residential development at the Sunningdale Golf Course.”

Since 2021, the Municipal Golf System has consisted of Fanshawe Golf Course, which includes two 18-hole courses and a 9-hole fully accessible course; and Thames Valley Golf Course, which includes an 18-hole, and a 9-hole course.

London’s municipal golf system dates back a century to 1924.