Sectarianism in Scotland goes beyond football matches and working class, west coast communities, academics have warned.

Members of an advisory group set up by the Scottish Government to look at the issue say it needs to be tackled with the same conviction as racism and homophobia.

It comes as the anti-bigotry charity Nil By Mouth is writing to offer sectarian awareness training to golf officials and the management of clubs.

The Herald revealed on Saturday that clubs across the country are to be offered sectarian awareness training amid claims many are "less than enthusiastic" about welcoming members from certain religious traditions and backgrounds.

The Advisory Group On Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland was set up by Community Safety Minister Roseanna Cunningham to look at ways to address the problem in Scottish society.

Dr Duncan Morrow, who is the chairman of the group, told the Scottish Parliament's Equal Opportunities Committee yesterday that while sectarianism has religious origins from which it cannot be separated, it is not "the whole story".

He added: "With some people there is a tendency to think this is limited to the 90 minutes bigotry idea and working class people in the west of Scotland.

"It certainly is true that at football matches in the west of Scotland it takes on a very aggressive face, nobody is doubting that.

"On the other side, to limit it to that and to simply say that's all it is and it comes from nowhere else, and it stops at that point, is, for us, not real and does not reflect reality."

Recommendations made by the group include strong civic leadership on the issue and funding from ­governing bodies and football clubs to tackle sectarianism in grass roots football.

The advisory group also recommends action from local authorities to ensure that there is a balance between the right to march and the right of communities to go about their business in peace.