Council president urges swift re-design

THE Commons Council has hit back in the row over safety on L'Ancresse golf course, slamming the continued use of the higher teebox on the third and urging a prompt re-design. George Domaille, president of the Commons Council, said that with the likelihood of a major hike in annual rent just 12 years away, it made sense for the clubs to push through a re-design soon.

'Not only is it an essential safety requirement but financially it makes sense; better now than when the rent goes up dramatically,' he states.

The council have reacted strongly to suggestions that it gave little or no encouragement to the suggestion of a re-design when it was mooted a decade or so ago.

In a statement, Domaille said: 'The Commons Council has on many occasions voiced its concerns to the officials of the clubs urging them to re-design the course in order to make it a much safer environment. Some concessions to this end have been made but not nearly enough to satisfy the council's anxiety.'

He added:

'Many years ago the course was re-designed eradicating the dangerous practice of playing across public roads. The new course required land that was not part of the rented area and the council was willing to allow this so long as those areas no longer required for the course were relinquished.

'The golf club officials of the day were not willing to concede some of the land rented, they wanted the extra land and certain areas they would no longer require. The re-designed course vanished into oblivion.'

Domaille also stated that the clubs had reneged on an agreement to abandon use of the upper teebox on the short third near the Ladies' Bay car park.

'The recently constructed lower teebox at the third was built for safety reasons because of the danger to the public on the beach and in the car park.

'This was done with the council's full approval, but it was on the condition the upper teebox was no longer used and it had to be contoured back into the common. This has not been done.'

The council also says its 'strenuous efforts' to have an out-of-bounds line placed along the 15th fairway that runs parallel with the L'Ancresse bay sea wall and in line of the two Martello towers, have failed.

'The council finds this totally unacceptable and has made it clear to the clubs and the Culture and Leisure Department that a white out-of-bounds line must be put there.'

Domaille is confident that the council will get a re-designed and safer course in the end.

'It will be changed eventually because when the lease comes up for renewal the council intends to make it a condition of the new lease that the course is made considerably safer.

'But for safety reasons 12 years is too long to wait and it is the council's desire that this matter is addressed sooner rather than later.'

Golf Course Management, who are responsible for the upkeep of the links, were staying silent on the issue yesterday.

GCM chairman David Hinshaw was unavailable for comment while secretary Aden Clark said he did not wish to comment at this stage.

Royal Guernsey Golf Club captain John Herschel was also unavailable.