The new tee on one of the most popular closing holes in the region will be officially opened by caddy Billy Foster on Friday night.

Work on the par-three signature 18th at Northcliffe – regarded as one of the best finishing holes in Yorkshire – has been the biggest single revamp undertaken by the club.

It has seen the construction of a much wider three-tier tee, while the project has also seen the hole’s network of pathways upgraded.

The five-month operation – which involved moving 500 tons of earth and building the tee’s retaining walls with 250 tonnes of Yorkshire stone – has been solely undertaken by the club’s six greenkeeping staff.

Their work has saved the club substantial finance, with secretary Chris Malloy estimating that contracting the job out would have cost up to £90,000.

He said: “Head greenkeeper Peter Taylor and his staff have really shone. Their work has been received with fantastic admiration and pride.”

Work needed to be carried out as the old tee was beginning to subside, while the pathways had to be widened to ensure emergency services could gain access to other parts of the course.

Taylor said: “It certainly kept us busy. It was a learning curve, working with a JCB to move vast quantities of earth. We’ve worked on other tees but this was another league.”

The completion of the new tee has put the finishing touches to a classic par-three, though Taylor said the club would look for ways to continue improving it.

Playing into a gorge carved by the last ice age, the tree-lined 177-yard hole – which can now be extended with the new tee – features a stream guarding the front right-hand side of the green.

“When you look down it from the tee, it is a very imposing hole, with little margin for error,” said Taylor.

“It can be something of a card wrecker!”

Despite its danger, it is the one hole which players always want to play.

Malloy said: “In Scratch League matches, they all want to play the 18th, even if their game has finished.”

Northcliffe were hoping TV commentator Peter Alliss would be able to officially open the tee as his father Percy opened the bridge that crosses the first tee.

But his commitments have not allowed it. Friday night’s function for the visit of Foster – caddy to Lee Westwood and renowned as being one of the best in the world – is a sell-out.