Wentworth Golf Club’s new $20m clubhouse in Orange will come with bars, dining areas, function rooms, golf simulators, children’s play area and sweeping views of the course. Orange Ex-Services Club, which is paying for the build, had originally estimated $8m, then costed it at $14m but the costs had more than doubled because of design changes to the clubhouse, additional facilities, the spiralling cost of materials and other Covid-related issues.
Fire destroyed the original clubhouse in 2019 with the 600-member golf club subsequently merging with OESC in late 2019. Completion of the new clubhouse, The Wentworth, is expected by the end of 2023 or the start of 2024.
OESC President Graham Gentles is still upbeat about the project, despite the increasing cost.
“This is an exciting time for not only the former Wentworth Golf Club members, who lost their clubhouse to a fire back in 2019 but the 18,000 OESC members and the Orange community,” he said.
Work on the new clubhouse is expected to get underway later this year with the new build including 1885sqm top floor of bar, dining area, gaming room, function rooms, an indoor children’s play area and a north-facing, floor-to-ceiling glass wall with views over the course.
The 970sqm lower ground floor and basement will include golfer-focussed spaces including pro shop, a golf simulator room, terrace and a storage and charging area for 25 carts. There will also be a café, loading dock, workshop, storage rooms, plant rooms, comms rooms, staff room and male, female and accessible toilets. The build will also include undercover parking for 15 cars and a courtesy bus.
The new 574-capacity clubhouse is expected to operate from 10am-10pm Wednesday to Sunday.
