Midnight Golf back again!
Midnight Golf returns after almost one hundred Muslim golfers took part in the Midnight Golf sessions run during the month of Ramadan, with an ongoing beginner programme through New2Golf set to kick in through the summer.
It was the second year Wales Golf had run the Midnight Ramadan project in conjunction with Parc Golf Club between Cardiff and Newport, who opened up their floodlit driving range and short game practice area four Friday nights through Ramadan.
Numbers grew as the month of Ramadan went on and word spread, with the busiest night including almost 100 players, with men, women and children enjoying the chance to do something active after breaking their daytime fast.
Following on from the late night sessions at Parc, the players are invited to New2Golf sessions through the summer, six sessions of coaching which can lead to six more after that and trial memberships options.
There will also be a Wales v England event at the end of the summer at The Vale Resort, based round a match between players who turned up at The Parc and participants from a similar project run in England.
Wales Golf Community Development Officer for West and Mid Wales Dan Jakeway said, “After the success of last year’s Midnight Ramadan we teamed up with Amar Cymru again to produce this project at Parc Golf Club.
“We decided to open the floodlit driving range and short game area to those who undertake Ramadan during the month of April.
“It is wonderful to be able to progress people in the game of golf who would not necessarily have considered golf had we not thrown this project.
“Following on from this we will have opportunities for a New2Golf scheme we will look to run, opening it up to the wider communities of Wales and offering the same sessions in different locations.”
There were plenty of laughs, fun and smiles during the late night sessions. “To have something at midnight when everybody has fed and prayed, in a window where they can actually play some sports, is the perfect time, “ said Jalal Goni, Founder of Amar Cymru (My Wales).
“Amar Cymru is for people from the South Asian community working with governing bodies such as Wales Golf to get people from ethnic minorities playing new sports.
“Having something during Ramadan has allowed them to take up a new sport, understand it, play it and – most importantly – just enjoy it.”
Zoe Thacker, Wales Golf Director of Development, added, “For some, accessing sport during the month of Ramadan is tricky – fasting and playing sport is a balance of ensuring enough fluids are drunk during non-fasting period.
“To be able to offer opportunities like this with food and refreshments at a time when individuals could have some fun, play some sport, have a little go at golf, get into it, is really important to us.
“Players are invited to take part in regular coaching going forward, in the hope they will take up golf and join a club in the future if they want to.”