Balyang Par 3 Golf Course hours extended for summer

THE members of the Balyang Par 3 Golf Course who are fighting to save the Newtown site from redevelopment are celebrating an extension of its operating hours through the summer months.

The City of Greater Geelong this month announced the course would now be open to the public until 7.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays, with a final tee-off time of 6.30pm.

The new operating hours will remain in place until daylight savings time ends in the first week of April.

Troy Freeman, who has been a member of the 18-hole course for about six years, said its members had been calling for extending operating hours for several years and was hopeful the change would have a positive influence on its future.

In August, the city announced it was seeking a new tenant to transform the facility into an “exciting golf product for the long-term benefit” of the community, with proposed redevelopment concepts including a driving range and mini-golf course.

However, the course is the only one in the region suitable for many of those who live with disability or mobility issues, prompting its members to launch a petition in an effort to preserve its unique offering.

Almost 800 people have since signed the petition.

Mr Freeman said he hoped the change in operating hours would bring more people to the golf course and persuade the city to reconsider allowing the facility to be redeveloped.

“I’m hoping that it’ll lead to them realising some of the ideas that we’ve got to suggest as members… could be considered and taken onboard and trialled, and maybe they’ll look potentially to ext-end the hours for additional days.

“I think for the time being, it’s a great initiative to at least trial it, see if it works and give us an opportunity to prove that that could be one of the ideas to help make [the golf course] more sustainable.”

He encouraged “anyone that’s considering taking up the game”, “giving their kids something different to experience” or “people with a disability that have thought about playing golf and might want to give it a try” to “get down there” and experience all it has to offer.

The city’s executive director of city life Anthony Basford said the move was aimed at providing a high level of service to customers.

“We think that this is a really positive initiative for users of the facility, and we will be tracking attendances with interest.

He said the decision to increase the site’s summer hours had no connection to potential future options for the site, which will be considered by a councillor review panel early next year.