The new owner of Hill Barn Golf Course in Worthing says he is determined to return it to its former glory.

Richard Haygarth is the master of all he surveys - for the princely sum of £2 million.

That is the amount he paid for Hill Barn, opened in 1936 and once regarded as the finest municipal golf course in the country.

The course was sold by previous owners Worthing Borough Council, which had failed to maintain the bunkers, greens and fairways to a sufficiently high standard.

Since the deal went through, Richard, 39, has been working overtime to get the facilities up to scratch as the weather warms up.

He couldn't have asked for a better start, with bright March sunshine enabling him to get the irrigation system installed before prolonged summer heat started to crack up the course.

Richard is investing a total of £400,000 on the first round of improvements. The refurbishment of the clubhouse, keeping to the classic Thirties design, is rapidly nearing completion.

Changing facilities are being modernised and the club shop is being extended to stock top-name brands.

Security cameras are being put up to monitor the car park and there has been heavy spending on new greenkeeping equipment and the conversion of a barn to a compound where machinery can be stored.

Richard has pledged to make similar year-on-year investments to return the course to its former glory.

To that end, he has brought in Martin Hawtree, the grandson of the original designer Fred Hawtree, to advise on the restoration of the bunkers, which have fallen into a serious state of disrepair.

Richard, a former partner with finance firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, based in Canada, had no golf course management experience when he took over Chichester Golf Club in 1999.

But he has learnt a lot in the past three and a half years and exudes confidence over the future of Hill Barn.

Richard said: "The course has been neglected but it is magnificent. People love playing it. They are just sorry it has been neglected.

"Of course there is a risk. It would be stupid to pretend it didn't exist but there is massive potential.

"The work is on schedule at the moment and I think the finished result is going to be tremendous.

"The club has been very supportive. When our offer was accepted by the council we have had constant dialogue with the various committees.

"They are excited about having a clubhouse they can be proud of and the fact the course is going to be returned to its former glory.

"We have got a friendly relationship with Worthing Golf Club next door. A lot of Worthing members were previously at Hill Barn but they have moved over because the course has been neglected.

"I expected that by the summer people will see a significant improvement in the course. Even now members are saying our basic maintenance is a whole lot better.

"And we aim to improve the course year on year for the next three to four years. I think people will see it come on leaps and bounds."

Richard said the fine weather had been a great help and 20 new members had already signed up, in addition to season ticket holders wanting to become members.

But he has run into opposition from dog owners who walk their pets on the course and do not like being asked to stick to designated footpaths.

Richard is concerned he might be liable if somebody is hit by a golf ball and killed or seriously injured. He is also unhappy with the dog mess left behind.

He has met a concerned group of dog walkers and has made it clear that he is prepared to give them access to areas of the course deemed safe.

But there are two conditions: The owners clean up properly after their dogs and the animals are kept under close control at all times.

Malcolm Cupis, spokesman for Hill Barn, said: "You will appreciate that Richard's prime concern is for the health and safety of all visitors to his club.

"He has no wish to allow a situation to occur whereby a walker could be seriously injured by a golf ball.

"At the same time, he also has to ensure that his members are not intimidated by loose roaming dogs or left to deal with dog faeces on the course.

"Having said that, Richard is a dog owner himself and will welcome responsible owners to safe areas of the course."