Golfers who play at Broome Manor Gold Complex are up in arms about the owner's plans to overhaul the centre, which include removing three holes from the nine-hole course.

They say it will be a terrible blow to younger golfers, as well as older and less mobile players, who still want to have a proper round.

The owner of the complex, Twigmarket limited, wants to build a three storey driving-range with a roof terrace and a new bar room.

The company also wants to create eight football pitches on part of the golf course as well as putting in an adventure golf course and an aerial high ropes course for youngsters.

It also hopes to move the existing petanque pitch and dig out a lake.

The reason for the changes are to try and diversify the business in the face of diminishing demand for golf, according to Twigmarket’s application

But the plans to create the football pitches and extra parking would mean that the last three holes of the nine-hole course would be lost

As senior women members assembled for their regular Wednesday morning game, former ladies club captain Rosie Law said that would be very damaging. She said: “A nine-hole course is where all the juniors start to learn golf. If they’re too young, or not good enough to play on the 18-hole course, that’s where they start.

“The course is really well used by learners, who wouldn’t be confident enough to try and play on 18 holes, it’s good for older members, it’s good for those who are coming back after an operation or serious medical treatment.

“The nine-hole course is extremely well-used and is important to very many people.”

Jeremey Sturgess, director of Tweigmarket said: “This is a much-loved public leisure facility and the objective is that it remains that way whilst appealing to a more diverse and numerous demographic than the current rather narrow ageing golfer profile.

“Both the proposed football and the adventure golf will help turbocharge a new younger more socially diverse generation of Swindonians to use this amazing facility and secure its future for the long term, exactly as has been successfully done at our sister site at Trent Park GC [in North London].

"The old guard may not like these plans or objectives which perhaps disturb the status quo right now but change and progress is essential and inevitable."