For sale: Two golf courses

Hill Barn golf course and Brooklands Par Three course in Worthing are up for sale to raise cash for sports centre building projects.

Property consultants Strutt and Parker think the courses will attract a lot of interest from golf club owners nationally.

They are being sold by Worthing Borough Council as going concerns.

One of the conditions set out in the contract is that the clubs must continue to have public access, so preventing them being turned into members-only courses.

Hywel Griffiths, director of community services at the council, said the sale is for the long-term good of both venues.

Mr Griffiths said: "We are selling them because they are in need of considerable investment and the council is not in a position where it can afford that kind of cash injection.

"The money from the sales will be used for a public-private partnership in the town to replace the Aquarena and refurbish the leisure centre.

"The council decided to put the courses up for sale several months ago but they only went on the market this week.

"If it weren't for the sale the courses would deteriorate and we want to make the facilities the best they can be for golfers."

Hill Barn was established in 1935 and its 153 acres were designed by the renowned golf course architect FE Hawtree.

Brooklands Par Three is on Worthing seafront and was designed by the former Ryder Cup player Dave Thomas.

The 20-acre-course has a small clubhouse and a nine-hole pitch and putt course.

Alex Crocker, a chartered surveyor from Strutt and Parker, said: "We feel the courses will appeal to a wide area of the market. These sort of clubs don't come up that often because they are so well established.

"Hill Barn is a historic course and some famous names have played there. It's a very realistic price we're asking.

"There is the opportunity for redevelopment for the flint barn houses to be turned into club houses.

"We've had a good response already."

The courses are available together or as individual lots.