IN its centenary year, Okehampton Golf Club has scooped more than £20,000 of Olympic Legacy funding.

The club has secured £22,688 from Sport England's Inspired Facilities fund, to improve its indoor and outdoor practice facilities for all.

This includes indoor facilities for use by the disabled and a new six-hole short course within the existing course, to encourage juniors to take up the sport.

More than 1,300 projects across the country have now received National Lottery funding through the Inspired Facilities fund, including the OCRA sports pavilion, Okehampton Squash and Racketball Club and the Hatherleigh skate park project.

Okehampton Golf Club's management committee chairman, Brian Willcocks, said: 'This award will allow the club to improve its present limited practice facilities.

'An indoor practice facility will be a great asset to the club. We are anxious to encourage more juniors to take up golf and the short course layout will assist this objective.'

Okehampton Golf Club is one of well over 300 projects across England receiving lottery investment from the fourth round of the Inspired Facilities fund and one of more than 1,300 to benefit overall. Thirty-eight projects in the south west have shared £1,668,377 in the latest round of funding.

Central Devon MP Mel Stride said: 'I am delighted that the club has been successful with this bid. Okehampton Golf Club is one of the friendliest clubs in the county and this award, which will allow them to expand their facilities, is thoroughly deserved.'

Sport England's chair, Nick Bitel, said: 'A year on from the Olympics, this National Lottery investment is helping us deliver a lasting sporting legacy in Okehampton.

'With investment now on offer from our Inspired Facilities Fund until 2017, we look forward to supporting many more sports clubs in the South West who play such a vital role in grassroots sport.'

Many more communities are now set to benefit from the Inspired Facilities fund, after Sport England announced that it was extending Inspired Facilities until 2017, with an additional £40-million of National Lottery funding to invest.

Minister for Sport Hugh Robertson said: 'This £40-million injection of National Lottery funding will be a huge boost to local sports facilities across the country.

'Coming a year on from hosting the London 2012 Games it demonstrates our commitment to a tangible and long lasting sports legacy. The Inspired Facilities fund has been a massive success and by extending it to 2017 it will help encourage many more people to get involved in community sport.'

To celebrate the award, local people are being invited to a free golf taster session at the club from 3.30pm to 5pm on Saturday, August 17. To register email [email protected]">[email protected]

Bids will be accepted for the next round of Inspired Facilities funding from October 21. To find out more visit http://www.sportengland.org/inspiredfacilities">www.sportengland.org/inspiredfacilities