The skull and bones flies high above the Caledonian Bowling Club, reflecting the sentiments of those below who feel they have been pillaged by the pirates.
Ransacked and robbed by the Dunedin City Council, they say.
The 135-year-old club in Andersons Bay Rd had its last monthly tournament at its green in South Dunedin yesterday. It goes out of existence at the end of next month.
The club's land lease with the council expired in 2012. Then the council decided to sell the land to help pay down debt. The club fought the sale but the council made its decision and the club had no choice but to wind up.
Club president Mike Fitzgerald said it was a sad day yesterday.
''We had a special lunch with a lot of the members and everyone is disappointed. We have a lot of people here who have been members for many years,'' he said.
''We wanted to stay. We weren't doing anything wrong. But they reckon it's [the land] worth $1.4 million. There's just 30 of us.''
Greenkeeper Dave Cameron staged his own protest about the sale.
He put the skull and bones flag on the club's flagpole a few weeks ago, and got the full support of club members.
Playing in the tournament yesterday, he said the flag was one way to show his disgust at the sale.
''They've stolen our club, haven't they? I wanted to show what we thought. There was a wee bit of cheek there,'' he said.
The club had about 30 bowlers and 200 other members who used the facilities. It is moving to St Kilda Bowling Club for the rest of the season.
Inside in the kitchen, catering convener Rose Finch is getting the sausage rolls and savories ready for afternoon tea.
There is not an iPad, cell phone or arm tattoo in sight. This is the way things used to be. Ham and salad for lunch, jugs of beer, people just watching, enjoying each other's company.
But no more. It's over.
''It's just a shame really. It has been such a lot of work, really. But a lot of good times.''
Dunedin City Council city property manager Kevin Taylor said the property would be advertised for sale by tender in early January.
He said the club was fully aware of the council's programme and did not expect the site would sit vacant for too long.
- Additional reporting by Debbie Porteous
