Buying a golf or sports club?

A golf or sports club with a stable membership base, consistent visitor and green fee income, and well-maintained facilities is a substantial and genuinely fundable acquisition. Golf clubs in particular combine a trading business with significant land and property assets — the course, the clubhouse, and any ancillary facilities — and that combination gives specialist lenders a compelling dual security picture. A well-run golf or sports club with diversified revenue across memberships, visitor fees, food and beverage, and events is a more fundable proposition than many buyers expect.

What lenders look at

Membership income and retention are the foundation. Lenders will examine the total number of active members across all membership categories — full, junior, senior, social, and corporate — the average annual subscription, and the membership renewal rate. A club with a large, stable membership base and high annual renewal rates is a significantly more fundable proposition than one with declining membership numbers and high annual churn. Lenders will also assess the trend in membership over the past three years — a club that has maintained or grown its membership base through the post-pandemic period is assessed with considerably more confidence than one still recovering from pandemic-era losses.

Visitor income and course utilisation are assessed alongside membership revenue. Green fees, society day income, corporate golf day bookings, and visitor rounds all add revenue above the membership base. A golf club generating strong visitor income alongside a healthy membership base — with a well-utilised course across weekdays and weekends — is a more fundable proposition than one entirely dependent on membership subscriptions. Lenders will examine the visitor booking profile, the pricing structure, and how consistently the course is utilised across the full trading year.

The land and property are assessed as the primary security. Golf club acquisitions almost always involve freehold land — the course itself, the clubhouse, car parking, and any ancillary facilities such as a driving range, pro shop, or accommodation. The land holding provides substantial security that improves both the loan amount and the terms available. Lenders will commission an independent RICS valuation of the club on both a trading and a vacant possession basis. The condition of the clubhouse, the quality of the course, and any outstanding capital maintenance requirements are all assessed as part of the overall property and asset picture.

Food and beverage, events, and ancillary income are reviewed alongside the core golf operation. A well-run clubhouse generating strong food and beverage income — from member dining, visitor catering, and events — adds a significant revenue stream that lenders assess positively. Wedding and event hire, corporate hospitality days, and any accommodation on site all contribute to the overall income picture. A club generating diversified income across golf, food and beverage, and events is a more resilient and more fundable proposition than one where the clubhouse operation is a cost rather than an income contributor.

How we help

We are acquisition finance and loans brokers, not lenders. We package your application, present it to the funders with genuine leisure property appetite, and manage the process from first conversation through to completion.

We also arrange government-backed facilities for golf and sports club acquisitions — helping buyers access up to £2 million toward their purchase where the criteria are met.

Every golf and sports club acquisition is different. Tell us about the business. We will take it from there.