Wales' Golf Profile Expands

In recent months the golf profile of Wales has been expanded at all levels of the game.

At professional level, on 26-29 July this year the WPGA championship of Europe will be staged at Royal Porthcawl GC as part of their strategy for developing golf in Wales. The Welsh Ryder Cup Bid Committee are hoping that this event, which may become a permanent fixture at this venue over the next ten years, will take them a further step in their bid to stage the Ryder Cup in 2009.

In this respect they are also developing plans for senior and junior events to be held in Wales and it has been confirmed that Wales Senior Open - which is part of the European Seniors Tour - is to be held on 8-10 June 2001 at Royal St David’s GC.

The amateur level, the WGU has added a Development Squad warm weather training week in Portugal to its current list of coaching activities. Wales is keen to develop the talents of its up and coming golfers and this week provides these players with an ideal opportunity to get their games sharp for the long season ahead. The week will comprise a four round medal competition at Quinta du Peru, competitive short game and practice sessions and will culminate with a friendly international match against the Portuguese National Team. Twelve players will make up the Squad.

At Club level, preliminary discussions have taken place to merge the men’s and women’s golf unions in Wales as part of its plans to introduce golf for all. The aim is to create new facilities and opportunities and sweep away sexism and elitism. If they are successful in their Ryder Cup bid this would act as a catalyst that would allow the game to develop more rapidly and open up greater opportunities for public and private sector spending. The WGU Development Committee, working in tandem with the Sports Council of Wales, would also like to abolish existing divisions, restrictions and preconceptions surrounding the game of golf which should be equally accessible to everyone - girls, boys, women and men.

They are therefore hoping to adopt the following proposals :

• the appointment of Golf Development Officers;

• coaching and more facilities for young golfers, especially pay and play, driving ranges, indoor coaching and practice facilities;

• 9-hole courses that are made more accessible to young people and schools;

• Clubs be encouraged to be more inclusive to young players and women and to adopt a sexual equality strategy.

Prior to Christmas Palleg GC, near Swansea, received a lottery grant of £350,000 for the purchase of 60 acres of land to enable the course to be extended from 9 to 18 holes. The WGU would like to see golf become a mainstream sports activity for school children and this is the type of development that they would like to be commonplace.. The Palleg GC is hoping to implement a schools liaison scheme to nurture young talent..