City predicts short-term club closure

The City of Greater Geelong expects Queens Park Golf Club to reopen to the public next week following its sudden closure.

The city announced late on Friday last week that the course would close to the public “until further notice” from Monday this week as the pro shop operator left the club.

Members competitions and the site’s café/restaurant will remain open.

“The city has stepped in to assist the Queens Park Golf Club in operating the Queens Park Golf Course, after their sub-lessee vacated,” Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan said.

“The city has started the process of urgently securing a short-term operator for the Queens Park Golf Course to enable the course to open as soon as possible to the public.”

“We anticipate the course to be open to the public sometime next week.”

The Geelong Times understands the club’s temporary closure is unrelated to the city’s financial troubles that have affected services including libraries and swimming pools.

The golf club gave the first hint at its impending closure via social media on May 18, when it advertised a “closing down sale”.

Last weekend, resident pro Aaron Rayson announced via the club’s Facebook page that he would leave his post.

“This year marks 14 years at Queens Park for me and I cannot be prouder of what we have been able to provide members and public golfers,” he stated.

“I will miss Queens Park and the people that made going to work a lot of fun.

“[This] Wednesday will be a very sad day but it’s time to move on.”

Mr Rayson is also involved with indoor golf simulator Geelong Golf Studio, where indicated he would spend “more time coaching and clubfitting” following his departure.

The city also indicated this week that it was continuing its process to find a new long-term operator for the city-maintained facility, which it expects to finalise by early 2024.

In November, the city endorsed a new Golf Facilities Strategy that would see it pull out of management of courses including Queens Park Golf Club.

The strategy proposed opening negotiations with club about it taking over a long-term operating lease to manage the facility, or to search for a third-party operator if the deal fell through.