news
New clubhouse a boost for Huntingdale
Richard Fellner
[email protected]
M
elbourne’s Huntingdale Golf Club
will officially open their $11.2 million
clubhouse this month, capping a 3½
year project to develop a welcoming, flexible
and modern community facility.
The building, designed by Inarc Architects
Pty Ltd, features grand views of the course
throughout. A large, central kitchen and bar
area is cleverly positioned to service both the
well-appointed members lounge as well as
the state-of-the-art function centre which
can accommodate up to 220 people. It also
features many modern amenities, like the
inclusion of Wi-Fi throughout the facility, as
well as a business centre and several multiuse board and function rooms which can
be used by Members for work and personal
needs. A gym facility is also in the plans.
The new clubhouse will not only give
current members a stunning, modern facility,
it also allows the club to continue to focus on
its core business of major events, interstate
and international tourists, corporate golf and
conferencing. In addition, it is also generating
many new memberships.
“The new clubhouse has supported a spike
in new memberships and membership
enquires,” explains Stewart Fenton, General
Manager. “More than ever, prospective
members are looking for more than just a
golf course. They are looking for a complete
package. Whilst the golf course will always be
the key priority, members and prospective
members are looking for a club where they
can be proud to entertain their family and
friends, to work away from the office and to
participate in social activities and make new
friends.
The 15-month construction project was
not without its setbacks, however. Despite
extensive testing prior to demolishing the old
building, the Club encountered significant
asbestos problems when the remnants of an
old farmhouse was discovered a metre under
the old concrete slab. This caused a twomonth delay to construction and cost the
club an un-budgeted $698,000.
“We advised the membership that, due to
the asbestos cost, the Club would delay the
associated car park works until such time as
the funds were available,” Fenton says.
But in a massive show of support for the
Club, the Members responded to this news
with direct donations of some $645,000, and
the car park was started immediately.
“This just doesn’t happen in golf clubs and
I think goes to show the genuine love for the
BOB WEIR’s
Club and strong sense of community and
camaraderie that exists within Huntingdale
Golf Club.”
“Huntingdale has always been a strong
community club. We are very family
orientated with strong junior programs and a
growing, vibrant ladies membership. We have
over 80 kids as young as five participating in
our junior programs both after school and on
weekends.
“We run competitions every day of the week
for our members and the number of rounds is
closely monitored and maintained to ensure
the golf course is in great nick all year around.
Round times are a comfortable four hours on
most occasions and we ensure that members
always have easy access to the golf course
without the crowds of many private clubs.”
The club have implemented a number of
changes to their members