IGTM key market report

When Close House opened their championship Colt course in 2011, they didn’t just cut a ribbon – they brought in the World’s No. 1 golfer to do it.

The championship Colt Course at Close House, opened in 2011 and now recognised among England’s finest modern designs.

Lee Westwood was so impressed by the Newcastle-based club he soon agreed to become the attached tour professional. It was a bold move, but that’s what Close House has always been about.

They set their sights on a Top 100 ranking and got there quickly, with Scott Macpherson’s design soon recognised as one of England’s finest.

But for owner Sir Graham Wylie — the renowned co-founder of Sage Group — that was just the beginning.

His vision was international: to build a club admired on a global scale. To make that happen, they needed tournaments. Big ones.

It began with the PGA Seniors Championship in 2015.

“We were delighted to be selected to host the PGA Seniors Championship, it allowed the team the chance to better understand the demands of hosting an international tournament,” says Close House managing director Jonathan Lupton.

Close House Managing Director Jonathan Lupton, who has overseen the club’s growth through hosting international tournaments.

Just two years later, host Westwood welcomed Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and an armada of European Tour stars for the British Masters.

It was a triumph, drawing 65,000 spectators over the week, and one large enough to bring the tournament back in 2020.

That arrived under vastly different circumstances. As professional golf resumed following the Covid lockdown, Close House provided a safe and high-quality venue for Europe’s return to competitive action.

Another milestone followed two years ago, with the Asian Tour’s International Series introducing the north of England to a new audience.

As a brand building exercise, the overall results were impressive.

“After hosting the British Masters in 2017, our business has never looked back. It gave us a boost in all areas – a lot more customers and awareness of who we were and what we did.”

Crowds gather at Close House during the British Masters — more than 65,000 spectators attended the 2017 event.

But the impact has extended far beyond just membership. While Sir Graham made significant investments in the estate over his first decade of ownership, the British Masters was a turning point.

In 2021, Close House posted their first annual profit. Turnover now exceeds £5 million as golfers – many drawn in by the television coverage – enjoy the estate through stay-and-play packages.

Were these tournaments the driver of that transformation?

“It’s part of the jigsaw. We showed more awareness and had more people to market to – because we were good at capturing the data that came through the front gates.”

“That certainly helped us in that drive to make the club more sustainable and profitable.

“We hopefully offer the best membership experience within the region and we constantly try to exceed expectations.

“As long as we continue to do that, and we do listen to member feedback, we hope they will stay on the journey with us. We’ve constantly evolved the product we offer and hopefully in a positive way. By doing that, we’ve done a good job of retaining members.”

What’s next? With a track record of high-profile events and a team experienced in hosting them, could more major tournaments lie in Close House’s future?

“We’re definitely open to discussions about it,” says Lupton. “It’s got to be right for the business and right for the tournament. But in the future, if we can get the right opportunities, we’re all ears.”