Wentworth! And You Thought Your Club Had Issues

Disfunction is often part of the club world but Audrey Gillan's Guardian piece summing up the Wentworth situation should make most club members feel better about any situation they might be questioning.

Thanks to reader Tom for sending in the piece, which recaps the £135m purchase in 2014 by a Chinese conglomerate chaired by Dr Chanchai Ruayrungruang, one of China’s wealthiest men. He promptly announced a plan to make the club a place for the super rich and now members are battling back, with a website and plans to create problems for the European Tour's flagship event in May, the BMW.

The group is even suggesting this is a national issue for Britain, which seems a bit of a stretch.

The threat to the BMW sounds real, however.

Wentworth Estate Roads Committee has the right to enforce restrictive covenants under the deed, because its prior approval “is required for any future property development, use of sponsored advertising signage, erection of tents and grandstands and organisation of rock concerts”.

This is a subtle threat to the PGA Tournament to be held in 29 May. It goes on less subtly: “The PGA Tournament is a nuisance and causes significant disruption to the day-to-day quality of life of the residents of the Wentworth Estate for many weeks before. The disruption and nuisance is amplified by additional activities such as BMW-sponsored events, including rock concerts, which are not necessary or incidental events to a golf tournament.”