An online community of more than 5,400 golf enthusiasts have bought Spey Bay Golf Course in Moray.
US-based Links Golf Club already has access to several US courses but Spey Bay is the first they own outright.
The list price for the course, which sits along the Moray coastline just east of the mouth of the River Spey, was around £750,000 but it is believed to have sold for higher.
The 18-hole golf course also included the associated caravan park, clubhouse and former driving range in the sale.
The keys to Spey Bay Golf Course are ours 🎉 As a LinksDAO NFT holder you can now reserve your membership to secure your spot as a founding member at Spey Bay; https://t.co/fUp206R4Ks.#golf #golflife #golfcourse pic.twitter.com/r8SLZtpeKE
— Links Golf Club (@LinksDAO) May 19, 2023
Designed by Ben Sayers, Spey Bay Golf Course was opened in 1907.
Lossiemouth-born Ramsay Macdonald, who was the UK’s first Labour prime minister, was a distinguished former member.
Links members were given a simple majority vote on whether to proceed with the purchase, with 88% of more than 4,300 votes in favour of the purchase.
Shepherd Chartered Surveyors Inverness office partner Neil Calder said: “There was an extremely competitive closing date and offers well over asking price were received.
“It is a rare opportunity to own a true links course in Scotland, the home of golf and we wish the new owners well in their venture.”
Strutt & Parker director Euan MacCrimmon added: “The volume of enquiries for Spey Bay golf course was incredible, and we received enquiries and offers from a wide range of UK and international interests.
“We are delighted to secure this deal with LinksDAO and wish them all the best with their exciting plans for the course.”
Who are Links?
Links Golf Club allows exclusive member benefits at courses worldwide and says it’s the “largest and most active community in golf”.
It was created in 2021 and mainly consists of tech-forward millennials and Gen-Z golfers who have found a passion for the sport.
Links says it wants to revolutionise traditional golf by offering enthusiasts unique and exclusive experiences.
In just one day last year they raised £9 million and have raised nearly £10m by selling NFTs (non-fungible tokens), which are generally created using the same type of programming used for cryptocurrencies.
However, they cannot be traded or exchanged in the same way that other cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin can be.
During the consultation process with members Links recommended investing in the Moray course ahead of “mediocre” prospects in America.
