EAGLEHAWK Golf Club members have voted in favour of a merger with Bendigo Golf Club.
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Members voted on Tuesday night on three separate proposals from Bendigo, Belvoir Park and Neangar Park golf clubs.
Eaglehawk Golf Club executive director Jenny Chapman said Bendigo Golf Club came out on top.
“What will happen is a sub-committee will be formed from both clubs,” she said. “They will get together to work out all the rules and the constitution and the association and the deals for the players and things like that.
“And then we will have a vote to complete a merge.”
The decision could put an end to Neangar Park Golf Club’s dream to develop Bendigo’s first pitch and putt course.
The club recently released concept plans for a new pitch and putt course and clubhouse redevelopment. An undercover driving range was also included in the plans.
But Neangar Park Golf Club president Philip DeAraugo said members were comfortable with Eaglehawk Golf Club’s decision.
“We just wanted to make sure that we were giving them an option,” he said.
“We thought our option was fairly attractive, but we’re fine with them choosing Bendigo, the one that suits their members.”
Mr DeAraugo said the club would now revise its plans.
“We’re definitely looking at the clubhouse expansion and the redevelopment of the driving range,” he said
“So it just means that the pitch and putt course probably won’t happen.
“We thought it would have been fantastic for golf in the region, but we’ll look at other options for that bit of land now.”
Ms Chapman said Eaglehawk Golf Club members had favoured Bendigo because they felt Belvoir Park was too far away and that they were being pushed into a merger with Neangar Park.
Bendigo Golf Club general manager Steven Oliver said the merger had not been taken lightly by any of the clubs.
“In some ways we’re actually a little bit sad for Eaglehawk,” he said. “It’s a very tough decision that they’ve had to make.
“There will a lot of planning – we really want to make sure we get it right.”