More than 100 clubs join up for Golf Awareness Week in Wales
More than 100 Welsh clubs have now signed up for Golf Awareness Week, offering free golf for beginners and nomadic players under the slogan ‘Pick it up for the Ryder Cup.”
There is still time for more to take part in the biggest single scheme ever held in Wales to encourage people to take up golf and enjoy the benefits of joining a club, in the week from April 12-18 after the Masters and seen as the traditional start of the golf season.
The ambitious scheme being backed by golf’s governors the R and A and run by Golf Development Wales will also include the chance to win tickets to the practice days at this year’s Ryder Cup, with clubs offering free tee times, coaching and membership deals throughout the week.
With the Ryder Cup coming to Celtic Manor later this summer, it is a unique opportunity to build on the interest generated by such a huge event being held in Wales – and a fantastic chance to play on most of the Welsh courses for free with plenty of clubs also offering free coaching.
New players are also being encouraged by ‘Beginners Start Golfing’ which will offer a series of initiatives at 25 clubs throughout Wales, sponsored by SWALEC, a leading energy supplier in Wales, and running throughout the summer Garnant Park Golf Club, Ammanford became the 100th club to come on board for Golf Awareness Week. They are offering free tee times at various times during the week and free golf lessons from their New PGA Golf Professional- Matt Hollis. Following the week they will also be running a SWALEC sponsored ‘beginner start golfing’ scheme for those new to golf, which will consist of a free taster day, a series of lessons and a trial membership scheme, combined with a Welcome pack.
“It is fantastic that around two thirds of the clubs all around Wales have already embraced this scheme and it is a great opportunity for nomadic golfers and beginners to take part and try out a club near them for free,” said Hannah Fitzpatrick, Golf Union of Wales director of golf development.
“There is still time for more clubs to come on board and we would encourage them to become part of the biggest scheme ever held in Wales to encourage new golfers and club members.
“They have nothing to lose by taking part, but could be attracting new members or more visitor fees in the future.
“Now is also the time for those people who would like to take up golf or to play a bit more and join a club, to think of trying out those facilities for free in Golf Awareness Week from April 12th to the 18th.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for former club members and nomadic golfers to taste the benefits of joining or re-joining a club, with plenty of special deals for membership on offer at many clubs during the week.
“We are delighted with the way so many clubs have taken up the idea and added some great plans of their own, for instance Clays in Wrexham offering 365 juniors free membership, one for every day of Ryder Cup year, or around 500 children taking part in Golf Festivals being run in Blaenau Gwent.
“It is also great to see so many club professionals prepared to give their time and expertise for free to help coach beginners and give them the best possible start in the game.
“Golf has so much to offer in terms of health and social benefits and the best way to enjoy that is through joining a club – this is a chance to try that out for free in most clubs in Wales.”
During this week, local authorities will be encouraged to maximise the golf coverage by running Dragon Sport Tri-Golf or Golf Xtreme Festivals for children, who will also be encouraged to dress up in traditional golfing attire from 1927, the year of the first Ryder Cup.
Pictures from that will then be entered into a prize draw for Ryder Cup Wales practice day tickets for a number of children and supervisors, while the photos will also be posted on the Golf Development Wales website and media outlets.
“Being able to get tickets for the Ryder Cup Wales practice days is a fantastic incentive and will also encourage cross-curricular links for schools to research the history of golf and the history of a massive event like the Ryder Cup,” explained Fitzpatrick.
“Clubs should not allow themselves to be left out. It is the year of the Ryder Cup in Wales and an opportunity to inspire a new generation of golfers.”
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