Albert Minshall, from Whitchurch, built the golf resort in 1971 and opened Hill Valley in 1975 after buying two farms.

Albert sold off the farmhouses and created a golf course – designed by TV golfing stars Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas – and a 25-bed hotel on the site in Whitchurch.

It was taken over in 2003 by the prestigious Macdonald Hotels & Resorts Group and became the Macdonald Hill Valley Spa, Hotel and Golf.

The hotel now has 81 bedrooms, two 18-hole golf courses and a spa.

The golf courses remain highly respected within the sport – Ian Woosnam and Sandy Lyle were both regular players and Woosnam was also a greenkeeper and barman at the resort.

Albert is still very connected with the hotel; he lives in a cottage on the site close to the 9th fairway and plays golf there most days.

“I think the resort is magnificent now – the golf course is absolutely beautiful and the hotel is fantastic,” said Albert.

Rather than organising a party for his 80th birthday, he is holding a charity golf day at Hill Valley to raise funds for a new roof for St John’s Church in Whitchurch.

The event will be a Texas scramble round with a shotgun start and a buffet, and will take place on Wednesday, August 28.

“I’m not really into parties and I wanted to do something that would help a good cause – and of course I love playing golf,” said Albert.