The Coast, Randwick Golf Clubs: coastal clubs call for walkers to keep off their courses

Some of Sydney’s largest golf clubs are calling for walkers to keep off their courses following a surge in numbers during lockdown. But many are calling for clubs to be opened for more public use.

Keep off the grass is the message some of Sydney’s top coastal golf clubs are sending to walkers due to a spike in pedestrians exercising on driving ranges and into the path of golfers.

Randwick and The Coast Golf Clubs are among coastal clubs in Sydney’s eastern suburbs that have raised safety concerns about the rising numbers of wayward walkers and people exercising their dogs on their greens.

The Coast Golf Club general manager Kieran Semple said there had been a “significant spike” in walkers during the latest Covid lockdown with safety officers deployed to encourage walkers to stick to designated walkways.

There are concerns walkers could be struck with flying golf balls.

“For the most part, locals do the right thing, but the golf course being treated as an unofficial ‘off leash’ dog area has been challenging – particularly as the golf course was very busy as an approved form of exercise,” he said.

“We understand that (during Covid) there were limited options and restrictions, locals were looking closer to home for exercise opportunities.

“Our primary concern is always people’s safety so we continue to encourage pedestrians to remain on the designated walkways that exist in the Little Bay precinct.”

It’s a similar story at Randwick Golf Club with president Alex Smith saying the club has installed signs encouraging walkers to stick to designated routes to little avail.

The Coast Golf Club has seen a rise in walkers on the greens.

“Golfers can’t always see walkers coming and were very concerned people could be hit with golf balls,” he said.

“We’ve put signs up from the first hole to the fifth hole to indicate where people can and can’t walk – there’s not another thing we can do.”

Peter Fagan – a member of the local precinct committee – attributed the friction to confusion over correct procedures for following the coastal walkway from La Perouse to Maroubra.

The confusion has been reflected in online walking groups with some unofficial guides saying the track abruptly ends in sections and requires walkers to look over shoulders for incoming “golf ball missiles”.

Resident Peter Fagan said not all residents follow the coastal route.

“Most people tend to stick to the track on the coastal edge, but there are sections where you have to drop down on the beach – some people don’t want to do that so walk on the course itself and that’s created a lot of the problems,” Mr Fagan said.

“The more people do it the more people are getting a general sense that it’s permissible to take short cuts.”

Mr Fagan has suggested golf clubs produce a video explaining the dangers of walking on the golf course, indicating times they can walk, and providing educational advice about “course etiquette”.

Randwick Council said it has plans to upgrade the coastal walk and has entered into early discussions with Randwick Golf Club, St Michaels Golf Club, and The Coast Golf Club on concept proposals.

Construction is underway on a section of the track through the NSW Golf Course which is reconfiguring the course’s sixth hole as part of the project.

The Coast Golf Club, however, said despite more than a decade of discussions with the council, there was still no official and safe designated coastal walk through its course.

“Until such a time as a formal route is gazetted, we recommend people do not traverse the golf course and our club does not accept liability for injuries sustained if doing so,” general manager Kieran Semple said.

A photo of Randwick Golf Club.

Some local councillors have meanwhile supported opening up golf courses for more public use with councillor Philipa Veitch using last month’s council meeting to call for discussions to be held with local clubs on the possibility of creating shared community access.

“There are vast amounts of public space (in the council area) that are essentially locked off,” she said.

“There are opportunities for golf clubs as well to indicate community goodwill and perhaps increase their membership as the community gets to experience what it’s like to walk on these big spaces. I know many people do.”

Councillor Philipa Veitch.

Councillor Harry Stavrinos says golfing clubs should be kept for golfers.

The proposal, however, was rejected by a 2-11 vote with councillor Harry Stavrinos among those teeing-off at the idea, describing it as a “land grab”

“Since Covid came more people have taken up playing golf – they’re being used to the max,” he said.

“They are not explicitly being used by the rich or the elite. A lot more people now from all walks of life are now playing golf.

“We’re surrounded by beaches, we’ve got Malabar headland, Centennial park – we’ve got any number of other green spaces around the area, why do we want to now start using golf courses?”