The operators of a company backed by golfing legend Ian Woosnam have said they want to run Wirral's under-threat Brackenwood Golf Course.
RM Estates Ltd, which is the parent company of The Ian Woosnam Golf Academy and Golf Courses, has already taken charge of other council-owned courses in the North West and has confirmed they will be helping to maintain Brackenwood from this month with a view to operating the facility as a "not for profit organisation".
A post on the club's Facebook page said: "Brackenwood Golf Club is pleased to report that working alongside one of the operators that have submitted an expression of interest to run the course (R M Estates - Woosnam Group) and maintenance returned to care for the land on Monday 16th May."
"This is fantastic news, not just for the future of the course, but also for the local community who are using the land for daily exercise. This is a big step in the right direction to Brackenwood reopening for the local community with the potential for exciting plans for the future."
R M Estates Ltd currently run Malkins Bank Golf Course at Sandbach, Queens Park in Crewe and Ellesmere Port.
The move to close Brackenwood, along with Hoylake Municipal, was approved earlier this year with the council predicting it will save £328,000 towards the £20m the authority needs to save to address a major gap in its budget.
It was one of many cuts passed at a meeting of all of Wirral's councillors on February 28, with the authority also withdrawing funding from Woodchurch Leisure Centre and nine public libraries.
Former professional golfer Tony Minshall, who runs RM Estates with backers including Woosnam, said: "We are looking forward to maintaing Brackenwood Golf Club and have been around the course and it is a great golf course that is about to die.
"We have signed a maintenance contract until June 30, which we are paying for ourselves and using machines we have available from our other three golf courses.
