PLANS are in place to install a lift at the front of the Bathurst Golf Club to make access more easier for the mobility-impaired.
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A development application (DA) was lodged with Bathurst Regional Council late last month, with the estimated cost of the project coming in at $150,000.
Bathurst Golf Club president Ray Stapley said while there is a ramp located at the back of premise for the mobility-impaired, the project is required to make sure the club is more accessible.
"This project will take a bit of space from the inside of the club but it's definitely needed to make things more accessible," he said.
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"We put in a ramp years ago out the back, which was kind of leading up to a project like this.
"We had some ideas about where we wanted to put it. We thought about the car park near the top, but it would've been a big cost and long way to get into the club.
"Another option was near the stairs but that was knocked back pretty early on.
"The plan is to put the lift at the front and it would lift up to the outdoor deck near the bar."
Mr Stapley is hoping the club can secure a grant from either the NSW Government or Federal Government to help cover some of the costs, with the remainder expected to be covered by the club.
"Once we get the DA through, we can apply for these grants. We just need to get this part done first and then we can try and apply for these grants," he said.
Bathurst Golf Club general manager Brad Constable believes the lift will be more welcoming for visitors.
"If you're new to the club and unaware of the back entrance, you're greeted by this giant staircase," he said.
"If you're familiar with the golf club, it's not much of a problem but at night, the back can be a bit of rabbit warren, especially if you're elderly.
"The back ramp entrance is just not the best option when you can have something accessible at the front."
If the DA is approved, it would add to the golf club's recent success in a report titled The Community Impact of Golf in NSW, which found the economic benefits of people playing in Bathurst was valued at $9.49 million.
The value of golf in Bathurst is second in the Central West, Orana and Far West NSW regions, behind Orange, which was valued at $11.27 million, with the colour city hosting two golf clubs at Duntryleague and Wentworth.
