AN innovative nine-hole golfing competition has been introduced at Bentham’s golf club.

The Marshall family-run Bentham Golf Course is once again showing its flair for making golf a more appealing and all-embracing pastime.

The latest initiative incorporates the Friday Night Knock series which is due to start in late spring.

Since taking on the picturesque Yorkshire Dales course in 2009, the Marshall family has worked tirelessly to transform what had become a tired club.

The club had struggled with financial pressures because of a drop in membership.

With the enthusiasm of youth in the form of Isabel Marshall at the helm, the objective is always to present golf as a fun pastime to be enjoyed in good company, regardless of skill level.

Isabel explained: “Simply, subtly changing the name from Bentham Golf Club to Bentham Golf Course has helped to make the place more welcoming and less like a private club. Naturally, we have members who enjoy special benefits, but we are open to all, anytime, and the Friday Night Knock series will be a great opportunity for visitors from near and far to join the locals and members in the spirit of competition in a relaxed environment.”

Backed by the support of Thomas and Jane Marshall, already successful in the leisure industry as owners of nearby Riverside Caravan Park, the team has introduced several changes to make the sport more appealing and less intimidating for the uninitiated.

A driving range, glamping pods and luxury lodges, a vibrant clubhouse rebranded as 1922 Bar & Kitchen and open to non-golfers, a FootGolf course, tuition and a well-stocked leisurewear shop have all served to attract newcomers.

The nine-hole competitions, open to all will feature prizes on the day with further divisional prizes at the end of the series. More details of the Friday Night Knock series, which are also a handicap qualifier, are available on the course website www.benthamgolfcourse.co.uk