Devoted golfer Vernon Roper was determined not to let his disability get in the way of his hobby.

He hatched a plan to play a round on every course in Sussex despite his multiple sclerosis making it impossible to walk long distances.

The 53-year-old used a three-wheeled buggy to get around 100 courses, half of them in Sussex.

But he was never able to complete his goal because the owners of Singing Hills Golf Course in Albourne, refused to let his vehicle in, saying the layout and landscape of the course made it unsuitable and unsafe for buggies.

Mr Roper's case was taken up by the Disabilities Rights Commission and he took the club to the small claims court where he won the chance to play the 27 holes at Singing Hills.

His victory could mean golf clubs across the country are forced to accept motorised buggies.

Mr Roper was diagnosed with MS 23 years ago and plays off a 23 handicap.

The self-employed electrical engineer told the court in a statement: "I play golf once a week during the summer.

"My multiple sclerosis condition means that I am unable to walk the long distances required to play on the defendant's course."

Mr Roper, who lives in Steyning, said: "I can walk to the tees and greens but I need the buggy to take away the task of walking the course.

"I try to treat the golf course with respect and don't take the buggy on to sensitive areas such as tees and greens.

"I only seek to use the course when it's fit and dry. I always ring the day before to see if it is okay and they say 'Yes, come along Mr Roper, we will be pleased to see you'."

Following a one-day hearing in Haywards Heath on Thursday, District Judge John Robinson said the club's "blanket ban had been the easy option".

He added that the case was "unusual and important" saying: "This legislation is the will of Parliament that the rest of us who do not suffer disabilities should provide facilities having closer regard to the question of discrimination."

Discrimination Judge Robinson gave the club one month to formulate a policy that would allow disabled people to use buggies on the course in appropriate weather conditions.

He said: "There has been discrimination. It is unjustified and the claimant is entitled to relief from the court."

During the hearing, one of the club's directors, Shirley Hunt, said she disliked buggies and having them on the course was an inconvenience.

In her statement she said: "Both my husband and I dislike buggy golf. We regard the walk and enjoyment of the landscape as being equally important as the game.

"It is our view that the game can be played more effectively if the ball is approached on foot and we find clambering in and out of buggies to be more tiring than walking the course.

"Even in drier seasons, it would be foolhardy to allow the course to be played by buggy. The club's board has assessed that it is unsafe for buggies of any type to be used at Singing Hills at any time of the year."

Mrs Hunt said the decision to ban buggies had been taken by the club's directors, which include her 67-year-old husband Michael.

In her statement Mrs Hunt said: "At the end of the Eighties, my husband discussed with me a wish to fulfil a lifelong dream to design and build a golf course. A suitable site was found and purchased in Albourne, Sussex, and the project began.

"When designing the golf course, the question of a buggy road was considered but it was realised that there was insufficient room to provide a course offering pedestrian and motorised golf. It was therefore decided to offer only pedestrian golf."

In her closing speech, Mr Roper's counsel Alex Frith, said the club's health and safety fears about bridges, slopes and water features had been "spurious".

She said: "The defendants clearly did not want buggies. They have been very clear that they don't want buggies on the course from the start."

After the victory Mr Roper said: "I am delighted because the judge has found that they have discriminated against me and that was the nub of the matter. "I'm looking forward to the matter being resolved and playing their course."

Mr and Mrs Hunt, who live in Hove, refused to comment on the decision of the judge against Singing Hills.