Golfers tee off with legal action over club

Jane Emerick
Legal threats are flying at Torquay Golf Club, with warring groups announcing legal action over an RACV takeover plan.
The legal bunfights have flared a week before members vote on the RACV takeover proposal.
A group of objectors this week confirmed it would take the committee to court over whether the RACV’s proposal needed a 50plusone or 75 per cent majority.
The group believed the sale needed a change to the club’s constitution, which required a 75 per cent majority, but the committee’s lawyer said the takeover could go ahead with just over half the votes.
Club general manager Bill Laird said the committee was seeking legal advice on whether a letter from 13 objectors urging members to vote no was “inaccurate and defamatory”
Mr Laird said he had legal advice not to speak further about the letter.
The letter warned that members would have to join the RACV to retain golf club memberships.
“Vote no and let’s start again,” the letter told the club’s 1200 members.
“Only this time let’s do it with due diligence, giving members lots of options.”
Former committee member Greg Giampiccolo, who was a signatory to the letter, said it gave members “the full picture”.
Mr Giampiccolo said several developers had expressed interest in the club but the committee had passed on only one option to members.