Foxhills takeover Farleigh Court reins

Top Surrey resort Foxhills has purchased Farleigh Court Golf Club from Oxford Hotels and Inns and will invest a further £2m in the Croydon club in the next 18 months.

Following the launch of its £5m Health Spa and Youth Club, family-run Foxhills has bucked the trend in falling club membership. 

Foxhills MD, Marc Hayton explains, “We’re delighted with the members’ reaction to the new facilities.  In fact, we closed the spa and family categories within 20 months of them opening.”

Success at Foxhills meant the Foxhills team were ready for a new challenge.

Farleigh was opened in 1997 by Fuji Country Club.  The 350 acre estate on the North Surrey Downs, features 27 hole golf course, designed by John Jacobs Associates, the brains behind Wentworth’s Edinburgh course.

The £1/2m improvement of the courses starts this autumn and will be masterminded by the original architects.

The greenkeeping team are overseen by former Estate Director of The Wisley, David Whitaker. The size of the team will be enlarged and will take delivery of a £550,000 fleet greenkeeping equipment in January.

Next year, the 16,000sqft clubhouse will also undergo a £700,000 transformation at the hands of DesignLSM, fresh from their award-winning execution of Galvin La Chapelle and refurbishment of The Runnymede Hotel.

“Whilst Farleigh will be run separately to Foxhills it will be similar in two ways,” Marketing Manager, Jo Oates said, “Families and non golfers will be as welcome as members at Farleigh and Farleigh will be at the heart of the community.”