There has been huge interest from private owners seeking to take over an Ammanford £1-million municipal golf course to secure its long-term future.
Carmarthenshire Council wants to lease out Parc Garnant – built on reclaimed land from a former open cast coal site – which will make a loss of around £150,000 this year.
It has invited tenders as part of a review of its leisure services which has attracted widespread interest.
Garnant councillor Kevin Madge said the executive board wanted to ensure it remained open to the public and did not become exclusively a private members club.
The 18-hole course and clubhouse was developed as part of the restoration of the 120-acre site after opencast mining ceased in 1992.
It was named best new course of the year in 2004 by the Golf Union of Wales.
It has a membership but is also open to the public on a pay-per-play basis with green fees from £10 a round.
Cllr Madge, who is also a member of the council’s executive board, said: “Over the last 10 years it has provided golf for a lot of people who would never normally have the opportunity to play.
“I know a lot of young people now play on a regular basis.
“What I would not want is a private course where the average person on the street could not play there.”
Councils throughout Wales have been reviewing their leisure services.
A council spokesman said it had undertaken an audit of all its parks, leisure centres and other facilities.
“Where they are seen to be a drain on public funds or not providing council taxpayers with value for money they are changing their methods of operation,” he added.
The council said it had received over 20 expressions of interest concerning the golf course with two firm proposals.
Mr Madge said: “There has been a lot of investment there and it is a great course with stunning views of the Brecon Beacons. There is a lot of potential there.”
County executive board member for leisure services Cllr Clive Scourfield said: “ Recreation and leisure plays an important park in the regeneration of the county and with its location and stunning views of the Brecon Beacons I am extremely hopeful that someone or group with flair will come along and exploit this fabulous facility and make it flourish.
“The Council does not have a statutory obligation to provide leisure services but here has paved the way making the best use of reclaimed open cast land and evolving its use of the future for the benefit of the county.”
