Lisa MacLeod tees up success at Barnard Castle Golf Club

It started as a way back to work after bringing up her children.

Now, having seldom swung a club in earnest, Lisa MacLeod is helping to lead a successful new era at Barnard Castle Golf Club.

She’s been involved for about five years, initially as a part-time secretary.

That role – “it was never part time” – gradually evolved into the general manager job and now she’s overseeing something of a boom for the club.

“I didn’t play at all,” Lisa said. “It was just that my husband was a member, I think he was even club captain. That was how I heard about the secretary job and I thought I could just fancy that to get me back to work after bringing up our kids.

“That’s how it came about, and the rest is history.”

As a non-player and a woman, Lisa’s position is doubly unusual – but she believes this is starting to change.

“Golf club management is still a very, very male-dominated industry,” she said. “I’m not the only woman doing this, but we’re few and far between. It tends to be people like me who come in as administration and then step up.

“But I think it’s changing. A few of the local clubs have woman managers now – they’re realising how good we are at multi-tasking!”

Multi-tasking covers everything from delivering on the partnerships secured by commercial director Simon Elliott – “he’s brought 60 sponsors to the club in the past year, it’s a full-time job keeping up with him!” – to nurturing the next generation via a burgeoning junior set up.

Attracting more women into a male dominated sport is another hot topic.

Sponsors and partner businesses are attracted to a growing membership, with the club sharing partner offers to its players and inviting organisations like the Woodlands Hospital to offer talks on tackling knee or back pain.

But the big thing is getting the word out beyond Teesdale and the Darlington area – which means promoting more than golf.

“We know we can reach people in this area, but we want to go further out there,” Lisa said.

“We’re partnered with Raby Estates, all the flags on the greens have Set within the Raby Estates on them and we’re hoping to market that and Barnard Castle to attract visitors who might come here on a golf holiday.

“You could imagine a family where somebody enjoys a round of golf, while somebody else wants to visit a museum or explore the countryside. We’re putting together a video to promote the area, not just the golf club.”

Another initiative, perhaps more geared to locals, sees a planned Twilight Golf offer for the summer months. Details are still to be finalised, but the idea is to offer discounted green fees after 3pm.

“Finish work, come down, get out there,” Lisa said. “It’s a taster for potential new members.”