The Highlands Golf Club at Mittagong has been given two years to get its finances in order with Wingecarribee Council suspending the annual licence fee payable over that period.

The club applied to Council for a waiver or fee suspension over a fixed term while it worked to resolve major financial difficulties, brought about by the economic downturn and a drop in patronage.

Council sought public comment before considering the request and received six submissions, most of them from members of the Bowral Golf Club requesting a similar rate reduction in the interests of fairness.

But Council has been told the Highlands Golf Club operates on council land and is a not-for profit company.

Clr Duncan Gair says the Bowral Country Club and Bundanoon and Mittagong Bowling Clubs have all been helped like this in the past and council is not setting a precedent.

He says if it helps the Highlands Golf Club stay solvent, the small amount of money lost in suspending the fee for two years will be worth it.