FEWER people may be joining golf clubs but business is booming at a little corner of Forest Park.

The Stockton-on-the-Forest track is seeing membership levels significantly boosted by allowing people to sign up to their 3,084-yard nine hole West Course.

England Golf figures have shown that, nationally, membership has fallen by around 20 per cent - from 882,640 in 2004 to 675,000 this year - and shows little sign of stopping.

But that's not the case at Forest Park where their West Course only membership, set aside from the testing 6,700 Old Foss Course, boasts more than 200 members.

Club professional Mark Winterburn believes the option of having different joining policies at the 27-hole complex is giving golfers choice.

"A lot of younger people don't seem to have the time to play a full 18 holes, while some of our ageing members, who struggle to get round a full 18 holes, would have lapsed their membership or decided not to join," he said.

"You can play nine holes in a couple of hours, the older members can get round, and the bottom line is that you can play on this course seven days a week and it is £325.

"It's also a great feeder course. It's great for beginners and helps to get them going and get them playing. It might be that after a year or two they will then upgrade to the Old Foss course."

The West Course was the original back nine when Forest Park first opened in 1991 and has a mix of long and short holes - and two devilish par-threes.

Winterburn added: "It is a good test and includes a couple of the best holes on the entire complex. It's arguable that it is not quite as long as the nines on the 18 hole course but a lot of people like it."

For more information about Forest Park's West Course, and other membership options, contact the club on 01904 400425.