THE general manager of a golf club has come out swinging to make sure improvements to bring up standards are made.

Daniel Hawkins, the general manger of Sherfield Oak Golf Club, took over the position six months ago and has implemented changes in a bid to boost the facility’s food hygiene rating.

The club, based in Wildmoor Lane, Sherfield-on-Loddon, was visited by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s environmental health officers (EHO) on March 27 where it received a one out of five.

However, despite the low rating Mr Hawkins said that changes in staff and structural faults, which led to the health team giving the facility a low rating, have already been addressed.

Mr Hawkins said: “A lot of the issues which EHO address when they visited were structural.

“Since the visit we have invested a lot of money in making sure that these issues are addressed.

“We have also had a change in personnel in the kitchen who has the same vision for the club as us and we are in the process of getting reassessed by the EHO team.”

He added: “With the all the work we have done I am confident of getting back to the five-star standard that I know this facility is worthy of.

“All of our members have said they are happy with the service they receive and we will continue to do so.”

The borough council said that its environmental health team is working closely with Mr Hawkins and his staff to ensure that issues raised in the inspection are rectified.

Due to an ongoing legal investigation the borough council would not release the full report when requested by the Gazette.

A spokesperson for the borough council said: “Standards have improved since the inspection and this has allowed the business to continue serving food.

“Under the terms of the food hygiene rating scheme administered by the Food Standards Agency the premises must keep its current rating for a minimum of three months before they can apply for a re-rating visit.”

Sherfield Oak offers two 18-hole courses while its clubhouse is used for a host of functions including birthday celebrations and weddings.