The club’s board have selected Melbourne-based Villawood Properties as their preferred developer and will present the company to their membership base for a vote on November 29. 

Last month, the club’s president Darren Bandy said the potential sale had been on the table for a number of years and they had worked through many options before deciding on Villawood Properties. 

The 11 hectare parcel of land up for sale includes the current driving range facility and more land on the west side of the course.

Mr Bandy said the sale of the land for housing development will allow the club to operate from a financially stable position into the future. 

“This is to ensure we have our long term viability and in that we want to become a community hub,” he said. 

"We want more people than just golfers and the RSL to come to the site; we want a place where people are comfortable to come.”

The club have landed on Villawood as their preferred developer citing Villawood’s experience in building housing estates in the Melbourne are and their willingness to work with the Midlands Golf Club. 

“One thing that is important to us is that the subdivision complimented the golf course,” Mr Bandy said. 

“Villawood’s design does just that; the entry into the subdivision will bring it all together quite nicely and will retain some of the charm.”

Executive director of Villawood Properties Rory Costelloe said the company are excited by the prospect of expanding their operations into Ballarat but are awaiting the final decision from the club’s members. 

“Really it is in the hands of the members, we’ve been very appreciative for the interest the board has shown in us and hopefully members reflect same confidence,” he said. 

“We have a really good knowledge and coverage of the western half of Victoria and that's our home ground so we are looking forward to doing something in Ballarat and have been for a long time.

“We are really excited at the prospect of partnering with the golf club.” 

Villawood are hoping to bring their proposal to Ballarat and build an estate that takes advantage of the area’s natural features.

“We want to lift the bar of residential communities in Ballarat; we have some very clever designers with innovative designs that will maximise the whole new community’s view of the golf course,” Mr Costelloe said.  

The Midlands Gold Club’s annual general meeting was held recently and Mr Bandy said the feeling of the members was really positive about the direction the board are proposing.