Whitby Golf Club has gained 113 new members in the last year

Whitby Golf Club in Yorkshire has gained more than 100 members in the last year, thanks to the participation surge in golf due to the pandemic.

As we reported this week, the number of people in Great Britain who have played golf on a full-length course in the last year has soared by more than two million to more than five million.

“There’s a really good feeling and a buzz about the place,” said director of finance Amanda Ing, a former ladies captain.

One of the star attractions at the clifftop golf club is a new swing room simulator, which was bought thanks to a £10,000 grant from The R&A.

“We got the maximum amount to convert the pro shop into a swing room.

“It’s a massive coup for little old Whitby to get the swing room – anyone can book and play. It’s about getting the golf club back on the map.”

The club’s bar and catering facilities, provided by the Willow Branch and which is now back indoors, has been a smash hit with walkers, dog owners and cyclists.

‘Things are looking promising on the course too, with 113 new members over the past year,’ reports the Whitby Gazette.

The club – which has been in Whitby since 1892 and is approaching its 130th anniversary – has a thriving new junior academy with 30 members as well as new adult coaching with a focus on women in golf.

Four of the six board members are women.

The club has also relaunched its membership packages with focus on more flexibility.

“This is a real good news story which we want to get out there and share with the residents of Whitby,” said Amanda.

“We are inviting dog walkers and residents to come to the clubhouse – it’s here for everyone.

“The pandemic could have been the end of the road but we used the time to pause, draw breath and think about where we want to go.”