Golf


Ryan Donnellan is the young Head Greenkeeper tasked with turning a few dozen acres of grassland into a phoenix reborn from the ashes of once-successful Charnock Richard Golf Club. Jake Barrow reports on progress thus far and discovers a man happy with his lot, but up against a tight deadline


C


harnock’s golf club closed in 2013 and, since then, the site has mostly grown unattended. People travelled from great distances to play the 18‐hole


parkland course, partly because of its extreme proximity to the village’s M6 service station.


Not only does Head Greenkeeper, Ryan Donnellan, intend to cut the course back into shape, but he has been asked to reformat the hole configuration, as new owner Steve Storey has chosen to use only the nine holes covering the forty‐five acres closest to the entrance, whilst commercially developing the land on the other side.


Already in place on the site is ‘The Laurels’ restaurant, and the building in which it lies will act as the clubhouse for the course. It is a fine dining restaurant, one of only a


couple remaining in Chorley since the closure of town centre ‘The Kitchen Theatre’ this year, as well as a wedding venue. Of the restaurant, Ryan said: “It’s very nice in there. I’ve only eaten there once, on opening night, but I had a black pudding scotch egg followed by a fillet steak … as well as about four pints of Foster’s.” The drinks also seem reasonably priced, which helps when deciding to eat out. When I visited, it was only £3.50 for a double Gordon’s!


The rest of the building will contain the function room within which the weddings will take place, and will be transformed, with time, into an all‐round leisure facility to accompany the golf.


Steve has a background in landfill, but decided to open the centre to transition into a new industry with the help of his wife.


PC DECEMBER/JANUARY 2018 I 19


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