Community at the heart of Wentworth rebuild says Orange Ex-Services' president Graham Gentles

The OESC submitted a development application last week for the project, which will be built largely on the site of the original clubhouse which was destroyed by a fire in May 2019.

To be rebranded 'The Wentworth', the building will feature a two-level design, taking advantage of the site's natural downward slope to the north. The building's footprint is triangular, fanning out to the north with extensive glazing a feature.

As with the previous building, patrons will enter via the carpark or ground level which will house an open plan central bar and café and lounge.

It will be flanked by a function and dining area, kitchen and children's play area to one side. There will also be a sports bar, alfresco gaming area and smoking terrace to the other side.

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Toilets, a managers office, count room, storage space, cool rooms, lift stairwells and terraces will also feature.

A lower ground floor and basement level includes the pro shop, simulator rooms and terrace, cafe, workshop, staff room, golf cart storage and charging area and more toilets.

There will also be undercover parking for 15 cars and a courtesy bus. The existing carpark will be upgraded.

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To accommodate the build the existing pro shop and a gazebo on the north west side of the site will be demolished while about five trees will also be removed.

President of the board Graham Gentles said the OESC was keen to make the venue a community club to service the growing residential area to Orange's west, similar to Waratah Sports Club's position in Orange's north.

"[But] This building will complement what it is there for, which is golf, that's what the amalgamation was about," he said.

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Mr Gentles said by the time the work was completed, the OESC would have invested around $14 million at Wentworth, when extensive work on upgrading drainage, installing irrigation and the reworking of some of the holes and fairways was taken into account.

"We've already done some massive improvements out there," Mr Gentles said.

He said the club was keen to get started on construction but had lost time with submissions to council not closing until November 10. With the current council going into caretaker mode this week, it will fall under the incoming council to pass. Local government elections are on December 4.

"We hope it's going [construction] by late February," Mr Gentles said.

According to the development application, hours of operation for the new club will be from 10am to 10pm from Sunday to Wednesday and 10am to midnight from Thursday to Saturday although closing time would typically be around 10pm with the later hours to cater for functions.

Pro-shop operations would be during daylight hours seven days a week.

An electrical fault in the golf cart shed was blamed for the devastating blaze that destroyed the 50-year-old previous clubhouse in 2019. Over 50 firefighters fought the blaze which took over three hours to control.

In November 2019, Wentworth club members voted to amalgamate with the OESC, 205 to 28.

More than 75 per cent of OESC members, who met an hour after the Wentworth members, voted to support the amalgamation.

The decision ultimately led to the closure of the OESC's golf course at Bloomfield in favour of Wentworth.

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