MORE and more golfers will swing into action at a golf club in North Yorkshire after it entered a bright new era.

A state-of-the-art Swing Studio has been constructed at the 123-year-old Bedale Golf Club and is open to its members. It will be opening its doors to the public later in the year, and its official launch is scheduled for early April.

The studio will be followed by a three-hole short academy course, which should be fit for purpose a couple of months later. They are part of the improvements being undertaken after receiving a £70,000 Sport England Inspired Facilities grant.

The project is currently on budget and set to cost £99,800, with further funding to the tune of £12,300 from Hambleton District Council before Bedale will make up the remaining cost.

Matthew Kettlewell, the chairman of the club’s development committee, said: “We are now at the stage where it is fully useable to members and it’s fantastic for Bedale.

“It’s a great facility and it’s also a unique facility.

“It’s a little bit different to how many other clubs would operate with something like this.

“It is common practice for the club pro to fund it and then work to make money for himself, but at Bedale we are working together with the pro because it is a club facility.

“At the end of the day we are not looking to make oodles of money from a facility like this, we are looking to enhance the membership numbers and cover all costs.

“By building a Swing Studio like we have here now, we have enhanced what we can offer the members and golfers at the golf club.”

The Swing Studio is in a new building by the car park. It has been kitted out with the GC2 and HMT systems, allowing the game to be played indoors in all weathers.

Kettlewell, explaining that it was built by Howat Court Developments of Leeming Bar, said: “It is a fantastic teaching tool which will be used by PGA Professionals Steve Pearce & Richard Wood.

“The building will also allow courses to be played and will allow for a driving range/practice facility.

“We will be holding an official opening event, the date of which is to be confirmed at present.”

Bedale’s clubhouse was extended in 2005 and the site where the old pro shop used to be is where the studio now sits; the new building is a far cry from the ‘store and dumping ground’ it effectively became between 2005 and 2016.

The next stage will be to open up the academy course, involving the development of the practice area adjacent to the fifth and sixth holes.

“It will be used by the professionals to teach new starters and to give them a feel of the golf course before actually entering the golf course,” said Kettlewell.

“One of the main aims of the project is to attract more young people (10-19 year olds) to play in an environment they are comfortable in, especially in their hi-tech community, and to welcome new people to the club and to the game in general.

“It also provides a state of the art enhanced facility for members’ use and hopefully that can help us to attract new numbers too.”

The Swing Studio will enjoy its full launch on Saturday, April 8, when MP Rishi Sunak, Councillor John Noone and the President elect for the Yorkshire Golf Union, Dr Alastair Davidson, will be in attendance.