Hounslow Heath Golf Centre facts for kids
Hounslow Heath Golf Course
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| Club information | |
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 Location in Greater London
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| Coordinates | 51°27′34.48″N 0°23′47.33″W / 51.4595778°N 0.3964806°W |
| Location | Feltham |
| Type | public |
| Owned by | London Borough of Hounslow |
| Total holes | 18 |
| Website | http://www.hhgc.uk.com |
| Designed by | Fraser Middleton |
| Par | 69 |
| Length | 5,901 yards (5,396 m) |
The Hounslow Heath Golf Centre was a public golf course in Feltham, west London. It was about 117 acres (47 hectares) in size. The centre had an 18-hole golf course and was home to the Hounslow Heath Golf Club.
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Where Was the Golf Course?
The golf course was located on the western side of Hounslow Heath. It was next to an area called Donkey Wood and the River Crane. Sometimes, parts of the course near the river would get flooded. You could get to the course from the A315 Staines Road.
A Look Back: The History of the Course
Before the golf course was built, the land had a different use. After World War II, gravel was dug up from the site. Then, until the late 1960s, the land was used for landfill, which means it was filled with waste.
The idea for the golf course started in 1977. A designer named Fraser Middleton created the course, and it officially opened in 1979. Over the years, different companies managed the course.
However, fewer and fewer people came to play golf. In 2004, about 25,000 rounds of golf were played. By 2012, this number dropped to less than 10,000. Because of this, the local council decided to sell the golf course. It was put up for sale in April 2014. There were plans to make the clubhouse bigger and add a driving range. They also wanted to include other fun activities at the site.
Why the Golf Course Closed
The Hounslow Heath Golf Centre was closed by the Hounslow Borough Council on September 30, 2016. As mentioned, the number of people playing golf had been going down for a while. The council was spending a lot of money to keep the golf course open, and it became too expensive.
Now, there are plans to change the site. The goal is to create a new, smaller 9-hole golf course. There will also be a new clubhouse, a 30-bay driving range, and an 18-hole adventure golf course. A special children’s adventure park called Hobbbler's Heath is also planned for the area.
About the Golf Course Itself
The golf course had eighteen holes. These were split into two loops of nine holes each. There were four 'par 3' holes, thirteen 'par 4' holes, and one 'par 5' hole. (In golf, 'par' is the number of strokes a skilled player is expected to take to complete a hole.)
Some of the holes (numbers 10 to 13) were located north of the A315 road. Golfers could reach them by going through an underpass.
The golf course and the heath around it are part of a special protected area called the Metropolitan Green Belt. It is also a Local Nature Reserve, which means it's an important place for nature and wildlife.
Other Things at the Centre
Besides the golf course, the centre had a café where you could get food and drinks. There was also a shop to buy golf gear. The centre had an office for the greenkeepers (the people who look after the course) and a large car park. Near the clubhouse and the first hole, there was a small area for practicing your golf swing and a putting green to practice putting the ball into the hole.
