Bridgend and Royal Porthcawl welcome Women’s Open Golf Legacy Project
Bridgend and Royal Porthcawl welcome Women’s Open Golf Legacy Project
(Children from Nottage Primary getting golf lessons at Royal Porthcawl.
Presentation L-R, Ladies European Tour player Lydia Hall, Royal Porthcawl Ladies Captain Andrea Clowes, Wales Golf Women and Girls Co-ordinator Simon Lu, R&A member Louise Fleet, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas.
Putting Green: LET player Lydia Hall gives Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas a putting lesson. Watching on are Huw David and Charles Smith of Bridgend County Borough Council and Louise Fleet of the R&A.)
Golf and council leaders have welcomed the launch of the Wales Golf Legacy Project around the 2021 AIG Women’s British Open to be held at Royal Porthcawl.
Representatives of Bridgend County Borough Council joined club officials at Royal Porthcawl to see the club presented with the R&A Women in Golf Charter to launch the Curtis Cup/Women’s Open Legacy Project backed by Wales Golf, the Welsh Government and R&A.
Pupils on Nottage Primary School were also on hand to tee off the project, receiving putting lessons from Ladies European Tour star Lydia Hall on the Royal Porthcawl practice area.
David Thomas, chair of Royal Porthcawl, said, “This is another feather in the cap for the club, another step on the way. We have had lots of great tournaments here, but this will probably be the biggest one.
“The R&A think this is a great thing and they are putting a lot of effort into it, we are very pleased to have it.”
The news was also welcomed by Bridgend County Borough Council leader Huw David. “It is vital to Bridgend, golf is a global sport and this is one of the biggest shop windows for women’s golf in the UK,” he said.
“We have one of the best golf courses in the UK, we certainly have one of the best links courses in Wales right here in Porthcawl and we look forward to seeing many more visitors coming here to see the fantastic course and facilities we have on site.
“We hope it will encourage far more women, particularly young women and girls, to take part in this sport.
“We have seen today young girls from Nottage Primary school having a huge amount of fun on the course. I am sure they will be back and hundreds and thousands of girls will want that great experience too.”
As a direct result of hosting two of the top events in women’s golf, the professionals in Royal Porthcawl and amateurs in Conwy for the 2020 Curtis Cup, 4,800 young people will get the chance to try golf and progress within the sport in 2020.
Those programmes will build through 2020/21, with opportunities to attend clinics held by world class players, there would also be tickets for some of the participants and transport to and from the events for both the AIG Women’s British Open and the Curtis Cup in Conwy golf club.
Wales Golf Women and Girls Co-Ordinator Simon Lu presented the Women in Golf Charter to Royal Porthcawl to help launch the Legacy Project.
“The Women in Golf Charter is very important,” said Thomas. “Getting people to do any exercise is good, we are conscious there are not so many women taking part in golf, we want to play our part in bringing that back.
“It is very important, we are a members club but we have a public face and we want to do the best in that regard.
“Equality came to the club a number of years ago now, the ladies are completely free to play any time, we have no change between men and women and we believe it is the right way to go.
“We get a lot of visitors here. I think we are playing a great part in the local area, moving Bridgend and South Wales forward.”