'A great opportunity at the right time' is how the impending relocation of Balmoral Golf Club has been described following a meeting of its members at the current Lisburn Road home on Saturday morning.
A packed clubhouse heard from Paul McGinley, Ryder Cup winner as a player and captain, who will design the new course at Ballylesson, plus Joe Bedford, project coordinator, as they laid out their vision and answered questions from club members about the move.
There has been no secret made of the financial difficulties the club has found itself in over the past number of years, with its membership number dwindling to less than 500, leading to diminished finances.
The threat of administration had been hanging over the club, an indication of the severity of the situation, so exploring all options was a must.
With Merrion Property Group coming on board as a partner, the opportunity to relocate to a new 149-acre championship course designed by McGinley just a few miles away was an opportunity the membership couldn't turn down to save their club from the abyss.
"Balmoral is not unique; all golf clubs in urban areas are facing the same issues and not just in this city," McGinley explained.
"There are issues in urban areas with golf balls leaving the property, and that throws up safety issues. The issues are becoming bigger, rules are stronger, holes have to be made shorter with tee boxes taken out of play.
"A lot of these courses are moving location and this is a great opportunity at the right time for Balmoral. It is moving just three-and-a-half miles away and I want to make it a win-win for everybody. The members are willing to take on this new opportunity and my job is to facilitate that."
Founded in 1914, Balmoral Golf Club has been at the forefront of life on Lisburn Road, drawing its members from near and far.
It has produced some of the greats of Irish golf, including open winner Fred Daly, plus David Feherty, Eddie Pollard and Norman Drew - all of whom have played in the Ryder Cup.
But many more have navigated the fairways and greens of Balmoral down through the years, with families passing the torch from one generation to the next.
Naturally, the decision by the club membership in favour of moving was done with a heavy heart, but for the greater good.
"I'm from a golf club in Dublin, Grange, and I would feel the same way," McGinley reasoned.
"Circumstances change and they have changed here, but there's also a unique opportunity that won't be around for a whole lot of time.
"To move just a short distance away and keep the club intact, close to the base of the membership, is a unique opportunity that may not be here in 10 years' time."
The wheels are now in motion for the move, with the first steps to include a planning application for the new site at Ballylesson expected to be lodged by the end of this year.
It's not anticipated the green light will be given for around 12 months and if so, the development of the site will begin, which will likely take over two years.
But a move has been in the works for quite some time with the reality of the situation taking hold and had Balmoral continued down the same path it has been on, its future looked bleak.
"In the early 2000s, it was mooted that Balmoral wanted to move and made some tentative moves," said Michael Roden, owner of Merrion Property Group, which is partnering the move.
"It gathered pace there before Christmas when we reengaged, so I'm delighted to see this come to fruition.
"The club is not viable with how it is. Membership has halved over the past 20 years and there is an awful lot of encroaching onto the site. The club is losing money, so they made the decision to move and this will see a boost in its membership."
That boost in membership will be driven by what is planned for the new Balmoral club as McGinley and his team get to work in order to develop a new course that will provide a solid financial footing for the club going forward.
The plan is to design a course and clubhouse that will be of the highest spec, offering the ability to adapt for use in competition, but first and foremost with the membership in mind to ensure it is challenging yet enjoyable.
"We aren't going out with that intention at the start, but it may graduate in that direction," McGinley said of the possibility to host a competition of the stature of an Irish Open.
"Ulster Championships and things like that is something the club would like to embrace or maybe Irish Championships, but first and foremost this is being designed for the members."
