PUBLIC consultation on the future of the city's golf courses has been extended due to high levels of interest.

Almost 2,000 responses have been received by Glasgow Life, the city council's sporting and cultural arm, which opened talks on the courses due to "low usage" and a "substantial annual deficit".

The consultation has been criticised by opposition politicians, who say communities fear a decision to close the six public facilities has already been made.

"By midnight on Sunday we had received a huge 1,952 responses to our consultation on golf provision in the city," a Glasgow Life spokesman said.

"Given the continuing interest, we are extending the consultation by two weeks to ensure everyone can have their say."

Members of the public now have until midnight on Sunday, July 21 to share their views. However, Labour MP Paul Sweeney said the consultation remains "deeply flawed".

He said: "This consultation is a flawed exercise in further managed decline for what once was, and should still be, jewels in the city's sporting crown.

"Alexandra Park is one of the oldest public courses in Scotland, dating from 1870, and Littlehill Golf Course was donated by the Reid family to the city in 1921 with the layout designed by the famous golf course architect James Braid.

"These are valuable civic assets that have fallen into a vicious cycle of decline, caused by underinvestment, understaffing and a lack of amenities compared to private courses."

READ MORE: Labour councillors blast Glasgow Life's consultation on the future of the city's golf courses

"At Littlehill, the course remains popular but as the clubhouse is mostly closed, fees aren't collected, so its real use isn't officially monitored and there are no facilities for players.

"It, therefore, smacks of self-fulfilling prophecy to present this consultation that does nothing to address those problems, but in fact simply further compounds them.

"While I welcome the extension of the consultation, which has been very poorly advertised, it is clear that it remains a deeply flawed exercise."

He said he would be writing to Billy Garrett, Director of Sport at Glasgow Life, to demand a new approach, which ensures investment in the courses.

Glasgow councillor Martin McElroy, who has Littlehill course in his ward, added: "Simply extending the date is not the solution to this flawed consultation."

"We also need to take out the leading questions and overcome access issues properly.

For all your breaking Glasgow news, click here, or head to our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages

"When the questions are all about cuts, cuts, cuts, is it any wonder people think that Glasgow Life is simply going through the motions?

"We also still have a situation where people who use the golf courses know nothing about the current consultation, and if you have no internet access, you have no chance of having a say.

"That is why I would urge Glasgow Life to stop this flawed consultation altogether and start this process again. If we are to have trust in the results of this consultation, it must be properly designed and accessible to all."

The Glasgow Life spokesman said: “The fact that almost 2,000 people responded to the consultation runs contrary to claims it has not been well communicated.”