There will be no Bermuda Open this October, with the Bermuda Golf Association opting to switch their showpiece event to next January.

The move was made in response to the poor attendance at last year's Open, which clashed with tour qualifying schools in the US and UK, when just 20 golfers signed-up to play at Tuckers Point.

New BGA president Terry West said the decision to move the event was directly related to the clash between the two, and said he hoped the change in date would improve the numbers and quality of player choosing to take part.

"The big thing was qualifying, it made sense to reassess it," he said.

"You don't want to have it during the qualifying schools, because you want to get the strength of field up.

"If you change it from a beautiful time in October, and you're not doing it for the weather, what is the most available time, when all the professionals in the world can have an opportunity to come to Bermuda that suits their schedule.

"We felt that was in January, and so this year the event will be January 20-24th. That is the week after race as we didn't want to compete with other Bermuda events."

West believes the move will not only benefit the event, but the whole of Bermuda, and should also see more golfers competing for a bigger purse.

"We have talked to some hotels and we have to talk to a couple more, but it's a good time for hotels, they need occupancy, so it will help tourism.

"And then there is the lull after Christmas, we have all felt it, so it's a good time to get people out and re-engage with each other.

"We have been in touch with overseas tours, and overseas sponsors, who have all expressed an interesting.

"The Bermuda Golf Association will be putting money in to keep the costs down and get the quality of entrant up, we think it'll be a very interesting occasion."

The change to the Open is just one of several new initiatives that West, who was elected president in February, and his new executive, hope to make to the game on the Island.

A survey asking members for their thoughts on how the sport's governing body might improve, and suggestions on what golf on the Island needs will be sent out soon.

"Our primary purpose is to add value to the golfing community and to the members," said West.

"We have 2881members, all the clubs, are members of the organisation, which I think makes us the largest sporting body on the Island.

"The BGA includes everyone from the Premier down to 200 children, and that's pretty much the whole community.

"We have a large role to play, and we want to hear from them."

And there will be changes made to the Monthly Medal as well, starting from next month, instead of being an individual event, the medal will become a team game, with each club putting up a team consisting of four men and three women.

"Individuals will be welcome too, to come and play on their own if they like, but it will be a team event rather than a individual event," said West.

"We're contributing to the cost to keep the price attractive and we will have one a year at each golf club, Mid Ocean will have one, Port Royal will have one, and so on."

n Michael Sims endured an inconsistent start to the Christmas in October Classic at Nicklaus Golf Club in Kansas

The Bermudian golfer shot a one-under par 70 at the Nationwide Tour event, and had slipped to a tie for 52 place at one stage.

A round which started so well, with three birdies, then got progressively worse, as a run of three bogeys dropped him back to level par.

However Sims, who started his round on the tenth hole, grabbed a birdie at the par four ninth, which means he still has a chance of making the cut.