BURY Golf Club are embarking on an ambitious programme to encourage more women and young people to take up the game of golf by breaking down the barriers to participation, making the game more accessible and affordable and killing many of the myths that it is an elitist and dying sport.

They hope to introduce a raft of initiatives in the new year aimed at supporting the Government’s proposal on greater participation in the game from women and by recruiting more juniors to the club.

They have already responded to the Parliamentary working party on golf by entering into partnership with Bury Council in delivering the programme from the twin standpoint of developing the game for all and contributing to a healthier community.

These actions are seen as a positive way of reinforcing the club’s longstanding position as one of the North West's leading golf clubs while demonstrating a desire to give something back to their local community.

In an effort to promote accessibility and equality, the club will be introducing a raft measures.

Lady members, either new to the game or established players simply seeking a change, can join for £50 during 2016.

New junior members will be able to enjoy free trial membership during the same period, under the expert guidance of club professional Gary Coope, new junior co-ordinator Colin Legood and safeguarding officer Annette Gayle.

Discounted membership will also be available to young adults in the 19 to 33 age range, recognising limitations on their time due to young families and work commitments.

Club vice chairman Dennis Taylor said: “What Bury Golf Club is doing is seeking to challenge tired, old fashioned images of the game while cherishing the real values of its traditions.

"A positive drive to make the game slicker, affordable and accessible to all, regardless of gender, creed, ethnicity age or so-called social standing is underway.

“We cannot do it all overnight but with these first three steps, which mark a significant financial investment by the club, we hope will see a huge increase in lady members and an encouraging cohort of young people eager to be in at ground level as golf re-invents itself for the 21st Century.

"More than 40 new full members signed up during November of this year and it would be wonderful to see this figure matched in these other under-represented groups.”

To support its development programme, the club has been active in a comprehensive modernisation plan over the last 12 months.

Working with the Sports Turf Research Institute, the course has been substantially remodelled with a rolling programme of improvements underway. Already this has seen the award of Lancashire County matches and regional competitions and team participation in both the local, county and Manchester leagues, as well as knockout competitions.

Major upgrading has taken place to greens, as well as offices and meeting rooms.

The dining room has also had a complete makeover and work will start next month on a total refurbishment of the bar, snooker room and main lounge. Local companies and organisations are now hiring the rooms for functions and meetings as the club reaches out to the community to encourage its acceptance as a welcoming and useful resource open to all.

Mr Taylor added: "The club is now in its second year as a limited company.

Its nine-strong board of directors, led by chairman John Bradbury, is stringently examining every line of expenditure as the club works its way incrementally out of the low point that has seen many poorly run clubs go to the wall to a break-even trading position.

"We see this support for the Government’s local partnership arrangements as vital for golf to survive as a top level sport, but it cannot be achieved without modernisation of the game and the end to dinosaur-like attitudes and discriminatory practices in clubs."

Mr Taylor, a member of the Commonwealth Games and Royal Lytham Open Golf Steering committees, drew much of his optimism for the game's future during his time as chair of the Lancashire Olympic Legacy Committee.

He received great encouragement from Lord Coe at meetings in the region where golf figured highly in his engagement philosophy.

Anyone seeking further information should contact club secretary David Parkinson or club professional Gary Coope by calling 0161 7664897.