R&A Clubhouse “won’t be ready for Walker Cup”

bunkered.co.uk has learned that renovation work on the R&A Clubhouse has been hit by significant delays, meaning the building will not be ready in time for this year’s Walker Cup match.

Plans to transform the iconic building, located directly behind the first tee of the world-renowned Old Course in St Andrews, have been pushed back by approximately 14 weeks.

Since late last year, work has been carried out on upgrading the building’s capacity by extending its basement below the existing car park. However, that work has uncovered some other issues.

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bunkered.co.uk has seen an email to members in which club officials state: “It is now clear that we will not have the use of the Clubhouse ground and first floors for the Walker Cup, nor the Autumn Meeting this year.

“This is clearly disappointing news but we can assure you that the ramifications and re-scheduling of works have been researched in detail.”

The email explains that the main causes for the delay are the “extensive underpinning” of the building’s south walls. The extent of work required was not anticipated during the tender stages, with structural weaknesses found in the staircase requiring “remediation”.

The work on the building has been carried out in two phases. The first of those was due for completion by August 14, ahead of the Walker Cup, which is set to be staged over the Old Course from September 2-3.

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That date has now been pushed back to November 22.

Phase two, originally intended to be completed by December 31, is now scheduled for March 2024.

Forgan House will continue to be used as the club’s de facto clubhouse until then.

“Despite this news, it is important to stress the long-term benefits of the remedial work undertaken,” added officials. “The underpinning of the south and north walls has secured the structural integrity of our clubhouse. For some years, cracks have been regularly repaired in the south and east exterior walls.”

The work has also found that the stairwell to the dining room was inadequately supported and that a timber lintel in this area had bowed “to a dangerous extent”, whilst a chilled water pipe network serving the Big Room air conditioning was found to be corroded.

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Additional drainage works will also be undertaken to “rationalise” the outdated on the eastern side of the building.

The R&A Clubhouse is one the best-known landmarks in golf and pre-dates The Open Championship, having opened in 1854.

This year’s Walker Cup will be the ninth staged over the Old Course, and the first since 1975.

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor