An award-winning Bingley firm which has created a time-saving way of playing golf has secured £262,500 investment to grow its business.

Net 60 Six, which is based at Cottingley Business Park, has developed a revolutionary way for people to play a round of golf in an hour rather than the usual five or six and without paying club membership fees.

The course is set up on a driving range so that golfers can play a round while practising key skills without having to take the four or five hours to play a proper round.

Net 60 Six has integrated the use of a palm top computers and phones with ‘live scoring’ technology, enabling games to be played by multiple and single players and creating a new virtual ‘golf community’.

It allows scores to be immediately uploaded on to a new website, net60six.com, where players can compare rounds and be a ‘member’ of a new golfing community.

The investment was secured following advice from not-for-profit business growth organisation Connect Yorkshire. It will be used to carry out necessary legal processes such as trademark and intellectual property rights and to kick start “significant” growth plans as the company rolls out the golf system nationwide, said a spokesman for Connect Yorkshire.

The expansion is expected to create more jobs but the spokesman said she was unable to say how many.

Net 60 Six managing director Craig Higgs of Ilkley, said: “The investment we raised has assisted us in moving forward with our plans – Connect Yorkshire’s help came at an important time, helping fund the legal process and facilitated our growth.”

Net 60 Six, which has the backing of experts such as former Ryder Cup captain and star of the PGA Seniors Tour Mark James, won the inaugural Yorkshire Strictly New Business competition earlier this year.

The win clinched a year's free office space, as well as insurance and free legal advice for the business.

Connect Yorkshire’s programme manager Andy Chaffer: “Connect’s programme is designed to help high growth businesses requiring finance by matching them with approved and professionally qualified coaches.

“We are delighted to have played a role in bringing this significant new investment to a local company.”

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