A SOUTH Hams golf club has been put up

for sale after entering ­liquidation last week.

Wrangaton Golf Club, which was formed in 1895, is anticipated to go on the market for £500,000.

Ian Walker, a partner at insolvency firm Begbies Traynor in Exeter, was appointed liquidator of the club last Thursday, January 29.

The historic club is expected to remain open until at least the end of February during the marketing period, with one member of staff being made redundant.

Mr Walker said: 'Following our appointment, formal marketing will begin with a view to finding a new owner of the club.

'We're pleased to say that several interested parties have already come forward and I'm confident that a buyer for the club as a going concern will be found.

'The club would make an ideal retirement or lifestyle-change business, perhaps for someone looking to move to this beautiful part of the world.

'There is competition from other clubs in the area, but I'm confident that with the right ­business plan this site has the potential to be very successful, with

a very supportive ­membership.'

Formerly an unincorporated members' club, Wrangaton Golf Club was incorporated in 2013 due to a growing difficulty in finding members who were able to act as trustees.

It is also hoped that any purchaser will ­honour existing memberships, most of which expire at the end of March.

Stuart Newberry, the club captain for 2014, said: 'Golf nationally has been haemorrhaging numbers for a number of years. In Devon over the past five years thousands of members have left clubs, and we've certainly experienced a slow loss of members.

'The result is that the buyer has the power, and the price of memberships is reduced through competition.

'We're not alone, but we're experiencing something that other clubs hopefully won't.

'It's so beautiful on a sunny morning to come up here and look across the South Hams,' added Stuart. 'I truly believe there isn't a more ­beautiful place in the world.'