Hollingbury Park members will celebrate the club's centenary next year under their own steam.

After two years of consideration Brighton and Hove City council has decided against putting management of the course out to franchise.

I understand the council received no acceptable offers and wanted a massive investment.

Ian Sharrock, the Leisure Services manager, said: "There is nothing currently planned for Hollingbury for an outside management takeover.

"We are primarily interested in various developments at the course but there is no prospect of the way things are presently, being changed."

A list of five prospective management operators were orginally lined up to takeover running the course.

It was narrowed down to Glendale Golf Management Ltd and a consortium headed by Graeme Crompton, Hollingbury's head professional and boss of the Sussex Golf Centre based at the course.

But the council then decided neither offer on the table matched their figure and agreed to retain the status quo. In the ensuing two years Hollingbury members were left in the dark.

As one of only 233 council-run courses in the country they felt vulnerable.

The feeling among committee and members, then and now, is that they are quite capable of controlling their own destiny.

A number wanted Crompton to take over as he is regarded as one of the family.

He is, in effect, a sitting tenant in the pro shop and clubhouse.

However, circumstances may well change as Crompton's contract is due to expire in March.

He was unavailable for comment this week while attending the Sussex PGU pro-am in Portugal.

The members have money invested in the property and would look afresh at the viability of taking the club over.

When the council had both Hollingbury and Waterhall up for sale no interested parties came up to their figure.

Meanwhile at club meetings members expressed fears that a private operator coming in from the cold would insist primarily on showing a profit.

That is one good reason, members argue, that a form of in-house arrangement would be welcomed.

Meanwhile, George Shilliam, the new captain of Hollingbury, is something of a bionic man.

A 67-year-old retired builder and Hollingbury member for 31 years, Shilliam has had a double hip replacement plus a new knee. To get round Hollingbury's long drags he relies on a buggy.

Once he used to play off ten. Now he is happy that his handicap has doubled.

As chairman of the Green Committee, Shilliam has a close working relationship with the members and makes light of his aches and pains.

"They call me the bionic man up here," he laughed and then promptly faced half a gale at the initiation ceremony and managed 142 yards.

Val Tingley, the incoming ladies' captain got out of her sick bed to make the date with a shiny new ball and muffled- up gallery.

Val, a past captain at Hassocks, kept her drive low and was only ten yards behind George.

Then up stepped Louis Lynham, the 17-year-old juniors captain. The conditions didn't worry Louis who scorned a weatherproof top and opted instead for a shortsleeved shirt. His effort measured 242 yards into the teeth of the wind. He has only been playing three years and will soon come down from a nine handicap at this rate.