The path, which is nothing more than a dirt track at the moment, runs the width of the Hucknall Road course – from the junction of Bestwood Park Drive West to Bestwood Road.

Nottingham City Council have unveiled a proposal to formally accept the path and feature it on any updated maps.

But the historic club say it is a danger to members of the public because it spans five fairways and runs very close to a green and a tee area.

Secretary John Bush said:" Golfers hitting balls that fly through the air pretty quickly can't even see most of the path. It is very dangerous.

"People just walk across there without even looking. They could get hit by a ball and that would cause some serious damage."

The club have been based at the course since 1902. But they have been plagued by problems in recent times and, three weeks ago, the Dispatch highlighted vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

They are now fighting the footpath plan and Mr Bush even provided the Dispatch with a letter from the council's own parks development officer saying it "would create an unacceptable health and safety issue".

The letter adds that there would be "a potential reduction of income or additional costs associated with the creation of a right of way as a result of the course becoming unsafe or unplayable."

It is also accepted that the proposed route would not be accessible to the disabled because it would need completely resurfacing, which is not practical.

What's more, there are even signs at either end of the path that state "the public must not walk across the golf course and it is dangerous to do so".

Mr Bush added that there is an alternative, safe path nearby, which he would like to see used, enabling the disputed path to be closed off.

He said if the plan got the go-ahead, greens and fairways would have to be re-designed, at great expense,to protect the public. "Would the council pay or compensate us for that?" he asked.

A spokesman for the council said: "We have evidence that the footpath across the golf course has been used for at least 20 years.

"Therefore we believe that a public footpath may be reasonably alleged to exist. So we have a statutory duty to make a modification order to add the footpath to the definitive map, which is the council's legal record of public rights of way in the area.

"The order is only concerned with registering an existing public footpath, based on the evidence, as opposed to creating a new one.

"This starts a democratic process in which anyone can make comments, which are then taken into consideration. No physical works will take place to the footpath, there will be no resurfacing and it will remain as a natural grass surface."