Veteran golf professional Alex Madeiros has urged the island to treat the closure of Riddell’s Bay Golf and Country Club as a wake-up call.

Mr Madeiros, director of golf at Port Royal, suggested that Bermuda had “sat on its laurels” and called for a creative approach to reinvigorate interest in the game, which has long formed a key plank of the island’s tourism product.

He said that Port Royal had received a “refreshingly high” level of interest since March 31, when Riddell’s Bay revealed it was ceasing operations.

However, he conceded that the boost to business — with between 25 and 30 new memberships to date — came at a cost.

“It was a sad day for golf in Bermuda when Riddell’s Bay closed, especially since it had such an iconic history,” said Mr Madeiros, a former head golf professional at the Warwick course.

“We knew things were going on, but you never expect a complete closure. It was a shock.”

Mr Madeiros said that the island’s reduced population was among the problems facing Bermuda’s golfing industry.

“I think lessons can be learnt for everybody,” he added.

“Bermuda has sat on its laurels for too long, especially in the golf product.

“There were so many people on the island in the past, but now we have a very diminished population, so clubs like Riddell’s Bay would certainly feel the pinch on that.

“In some respects, I think that golf needs to reintroduce itself.

“We need to be creative in how we present ourselves and engage people to come and play golf.”

Globally, Mr Madeiros said that another golfer in the Tiger Woods mould would help to reinvigorate waning interest in the sport.

“Everybody wanted to play golf in the days of Tiger Woods,” he said.

“We saw a boom from all cross-sections of the community.

“That’s what we need — another Tiger Woods to come on the scene and get that excitement going.”

With Port Royal set to host the Bermuda Golf Classic next week, featuring 30-plus National Football League stars, Mr Madeiros acknowledged that the event would help to offset doubts about the island’s continuing status as a premier golf destination.

He added: “The courses that are still here keep our product at a very high standard, and we have to maintain that standard at the highest level we possibly can.

“There’s a lot of work to be done, but I think our golf courses are firing on all cylinders.

“I’m very optimistic that we’re going to have a good year.”