Swadlincote's long-awaited golf course is set to officially open this weekend on land which has been transformed from what used to be an opencast mine.

The site, named Swadlincote Lake Course, is part of Swadlincote Golf Centre and will swing into action on Saturday, August 4.

It will operate as pay-as-you-play course. The plan was first mooted 15 years ago and will has now come to fruition.

As well as the Lake Course, the golf centre will offer a 15-bay floodlit driving range, a nine-hole FootGolf facility, a reception area with hot and cold drinks, and snacks.

Golf fans will also be able to hire a selection of clubs for those wanting to try out the sport for the first time.

The golf course has been 15 years in the making

Guests at the launch will include the South Derbyshire District Council chairman Councillor Michael Stanton, authority chief executive Frank McArdle, local councillors and N1GOLF owner Declan Malone of the Professional Golfers' Association, who will run the site.

The new golf course has been spearheaded by Mr Malone and council chief executive Mr McArdle, who had a "vision" to turn the old mining site into something that would bring people together in the town.

The club will offer golf lessons at the William Nadin Way site. These will comprise individual lessons, group beginners and group intermediate ones. There will also be ones tailored for women, seniors and juniors.

Bosses say the course is ideal for new golfers, with holes of a comfortable length and generous fairways, but will nevertheless test the best of golfers with well-positioned rough and greens which are tricky and need thought.

The site is bunker-free at the moment, but over time these will be added in key places. The signature hole is hole 8, which is a par three, seeing players tee off over the course's main lake.

Players who have used the course since its soft opening at the beginning of July have commented on the excellent layout and one customer has played three times a week since this soft opening.

Mr Malone said: "Swadlincote is N1GOLF's fourth venue with the emphasis on providing facilities for all levels of golfers and, more importantly, reaching out to families to allow them to experience golf and other leisure and wellbeing activities."

Guests at the launch on Saturday, August 4 will have a tour of facilities before speeches and a ribbon-cutting.

Mr McArdle, chief executive of South Derbyshire District Council, said: "The provision of a pay-as-you-play golf centre has been 15 years in the making and to see it officially opened is the fulfilment of one of the council's long-term planning objectives.

"It is the final piece in the jigsaw for the town centre and brings a golf course to the heart of the town."