Caernarfon school children were joined last Thursday (14th June) by America’s Ray Carrasco, 2004 Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open Champion, and former Welsh coach, Craig Defoy, to mark the official opening of the new grassroots golf facility at Coed Helen Recreation Park.
The grassroots golf project has been developed following a financial boost from the Ryder Cup Wales Legacy Fund to Gwynedd Council, to inspire a new generation of local golfers.

Gwynedd Council were awarded £56,487 to foster interest in golf among primary school children. The funding has assisted in the development of community golf facilities at four primary schools (Ysgol yr Hendre, Ysgol Maesincla, Ysgol y Gelli and Ysgol Santes Helen) which has seen the creation of four cut and play tri-golf courses and the purchase of tri-golf equipment. In addition to this the old pitch and putt facility has been upgraded into an open access ‘golf court’ within Coed Helen Recreation Park.
The Legacy fund is a £2m investment into grassroots golf, provided by the Welsh Assembly Government, and is one of the commitments give in Wales’ successful bid to host the 2010 event. It is intended to help local authorities, schools and golf clubs throughout Wales to develop publicly accessible facilities essential for encouraging players new to the game.

Rob Holt, Chief Executive of Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Ltd., was present at the unveiling of the new facilities, “The Ryder Cup Legacy Fund is committed to creating more opportunities for people in Wales to take part in the game and Coed Helen is a great example of how we are encouraging new players to the sport.
“The opening of this facility represents a tangible and permanent benefit for future generations and is a direct result of Wales hosting The 2010 Ryder Cup. The Ryder Cup bid commitment is to ensure that all of Wales benefits from the event and this is one example of how we are doing this.”

The Coed Helen project aims to encourage new players through fun activities as well as supporting a pathway for beginners who wish to develop and play on a full size course.
School children from local primary schools – who have been involved with the design and planning of the new grassroots golf facility – were present at the official opening today to inspect the new facilities and to take part in a team event on the new course.

Councillor Meinir Owen, Chairman of Gwynedd Council, said, “We are delighted to see the completion and launch of the new facility and would like to thank Ryder Cup Wales for their support. We hope to encourage children and new players to the sport of golf and in particular to the new golf court which allows for holes of varying lengths and difficulty, giving an excellent short game practice facility for players of all standards.”
“I am certain that by providing accessible facilities throughout Wales which will be less daunting for the beginner, we will attract a new generation of golfers into the game.”

Dilwyn Griffiths, Golf Development Wales’ North Wales Officer, said, “We are delighted to be working with the local authority and the golf clubs in Gwynedd in order to produce a new generation of golfers. Facilities such as those proposed at the four primary schools and at Coed Helen will enable us to introduce hundreds of young children every year to the sport of golf in a fun and safe way. These facilities are an ideal stepping stone in the development of new beginners as fully fledged golfers. This project will provide people of all ages and from all communities with the chance to play golf and enjoy a healthy and active lifestyle. Future generations will certainly benefit from this legacy.”

The Legacy Fund is administered by The Sports Council for Wales on behalf of Ryder Cup Wales and is supported by the golfing organisations behind the Ryder Cup in Europe – The European Tour and the Professional Golfers Association, as well as the Golf Union of Wales.

Somerton Youth Group recently attended The Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open and tried their hand at the beginner golf activities on offer at the Golf Development Wales stand.

Alex Hicks, who was also volunteering for GDW at the stand, brought the group along to witness the top class competition taking place on their doorstep.

 

 

Golf appears to be attractive and inspirational for these young people and Alex is working with GDW to run even more practical sessions for them.

European Ryder Cup player Costantino Rocca has joined the race for one of the biggest prize funds in European Seniors golf in the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open which takes place next week at Conwy Golf Club from 15th to 17th June.

Joining the European Seniors Tour at the beginning of 2007, Ryder Cup star Costantino Rocca, who has represented Europe three times, has joined an impressive field for the £500,000 event, the second most lucrative event on the European Seniors Tour after The Senior Open Championship, presented by Aberdeen Asset Management.

Costantino Rocca commented “After 15 years on Tour, and not having that much time off, I stopped playing in October and started again in April. I felt I needed the time to relax and to prepare for the next part of my career and this break has helped me a lot mentally. The Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open is set to be my fourth appearance as a Senior and I am looking forward to it immensely. I have played five times in the Celtic Manor Wales Open on The European Tour and always enjoyed my trips to Wales. The Seniors tournaments may be different, but the desire to win is just as strong.”

Rocca, who turned 50 in December last year, became a true champion when he won the 1996 PGA Championship at Wentworth Club, having graduated through the Challenge Tour in 1989. He has just celebrated his first win as a Senior golfer at the AIB Irish Seniors Open at the PGA National Ireland golf course.

He has won five times on The European Tour, where he was ranked 4th in 1996, and has played in three consecutive Ryder Cups (1993, 1995 and 1997). He remains the only Italian to date to have played in this world famous sporting event and is remembered for his crucial singles win by 4 and 2 over Tiger Woods in The 1997 Ryder Cup at Valderrama to help Europe win.

Following swiftly on the heels of the Celtic Manor Wales Open, golf fans will have another chance to see world class international golf when the Seniors event, which is part of the Ryder Cup Wales 2007 ‘Summer of Golf’ programme, takes centre stage in North Wales next week.

John Jermine, Chairman of Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Ltd., is looking forward to watching some of the biggest names in golf taking part in this major tournament, “As a result of the successful Ryder Cup bid, Wales is now attracting top class players and hosting world-class tournaments, as part of it’s annual ‘Summer of Golf’, which will bring enormous economic benefits to the region and to Wales. I would recommend people come along to support the participants and the event as a whole; it is set to be a spectacular few days.”

Among the star names joining Rocca to battle it out for the first prize of £75,000 will be defending champion and Ryder Cup player José Rivero of Spain – also winner of the opening event of the 2006 season in Barbados. Joining them on the fairways will be England’s Carl Mason - 2005 champion and two-time Seniors Tour Order of Merit winner – and Scotland’s victorious 2002 Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance, defending champion of the 2006 Seniors Tour Order or Merit.

For more information about the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open and our Summer of Golf programme, please visit www.rydercupwales2010.com or tel 029 2047 4256.