Members of The Glen Golf Club in North Berwick voted 273 to 221 against taking negotiations with The Ancient Links Golf Company (TALGC) further, according to The Golf Business on October 2, 2026. The motion would have allowed further talks and due diligence; it did not ask members to approve a completed deal. The publication described TALGC’s proposal as an investment package worth around £8 million.
What did The Glen members decide?
The Special General Meeting vote rejected a motion to continue discussions with TALGC and investigate the proposal through due diligence. The Golf Business reported the tally as 273 against and 221 in favour. It said the result was understood to draw a line under The Glen’s association with TALGC.
The vote was not approval of a takeover or investment agreement. It stopped the club from taking the negotiations further under the motion put to members.
What was the reported £8 million offer?
The Golf Business described TALGC’s proposal as an investment package worth around £8 million. That is the publication’s approximate reported value; the report does not provide an offer document or a detailed breakdown of the package. It should not be read as an independently confirmed figure or as a stated amount earmarked for any particular project at The Glen.
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Why were members divided?
Concerns raised by opponents
Opponents reportedly argued that The Glen did not need the investment and worried that investors might eventually seek returns in ways that affected club operations. Their concerns included the possibility of fewer tee-time opportunities for members if more capacity went to golf tourists, as well as higher visitor fees. These were arguments about potential effects, not confirmed terms of TALGC’s proposal or changes that followed the vote.
Arguments from supporters
Supporters organized as The Silenced of the Glen accused opponents of creating divisions and intimidating members. They also argued that critics had condemned TALGC without fully investigating its impact at clubs where it had already made deals. These are claims attributed to the group, not independently established findings.
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Strain within the club
The Golf Business described a strained atmosphere, reporting that members on opposing sides had reportedly become unable to sit together in the clubhouse. Jonathan Brown, The Glen’s managing secretary, said: “This is an internal matter for the club and its members and should not be a debate or conversation for the wider public.” A member of Friends of the Glen said: “Hopefully this will bring an end to this distraction and allow the members to plan for a future controlled by them.”
Does the vote mean tee times or visitor fees will change?
No such change is established by the report. Reduced member access to tee times and higher visitor fees were concerns raised by opponents about what investment might mean; they were not reported as agreed deal terms. Because members voted against continuing negotiations, the vote itself did not put those feared changes into effect.
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How does The Glen vote relate to TALGC’s other Scottish activity?
The Golf Business reported separate TALGC-related arrangements or proposals at other clubs. It said TALGC had investment partnership deals with Scotscraig and Forfar, and was involved in separate 99-year takeover proposals for Montrose Golf Links. Those are distinct situations, not part of The Glen vote.
The report cited work at the partner clubs, including restoration of Forfar’s 15th hole to its original architectural intent and a clubhouse transformation at Scotscraig that included a reported £1 million kitchen upgrade. These examples describe investment at other clubs; they do not show what TALGC would have done at The Glen.
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For Montrose, The Golf Business said Angus Council was consulting the public on the takeover proposals because the links include a Common Good asset intended to benefit the community. That consultation is a separate process from the member decision at The Glen.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What remains unclear from the published account?
The Golf Business report does not set out a full contract, financial model, detailed governance terms or a breakdown of the reported investment package. It also says TALGC had been approached for comment but had not responded by publication. The report therefore records the vote and members’ competing arguments, but does not establish the precise terms members might have considered had negotiations and due diligence continued.
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