Ryder Cup funds kids' courses

Welsh Sports Minister Alun Pugh backs the projects

It made big news when it was annnounced this week the youngsters in Brooklyn, New York will soon be honing their skills on what will be the first golf course for kids in the United States.

It's a six-hole course complete with practice green and bunker and a chipping area built with $6 million of public and private funds, complete with clubhouse and classrooms for members aged five to 17 who could not previously get exposure to golf.

So a slap on the back for Wales, too, which also announced this week a £500,000 grassroots legacy involving grants for six projects, from which children will benefit in the run up to the 2010 Ryder Cup due to be played at The Celtic Manor, near Newport.

The cash will go to the establishment and improvement of 9-hole junior and pitch and putt courses, to find the Ian Woosnams and Bradley Dredges of tomorrow.

The six projects set to benefit from the latest grants are:

*Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council: £148,470 towards improving the nine hole, par-3 facility at Gnoll County Park

*Newport City Council: £120,000 towards the development of 9-hole junior course at Caerleon Golf Club

*Aberystwyth Golf Club: £118,763 towards the construction of a new five-hole, Par-3 course and space saving driving range

*Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council: £95,727 towards the creation of a pitch and putt course at Aberdare Park

*Cardiff County Council: £59,172 towards the upgrading of the pitch and putt course at Heath Park

*Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council: £14,608 towards the upgrading of the pitch and putt facility at Ynysangharad Park

The Ryder Cup Wales Legacy Fund is a £2m investment into grassroots golf by the Welsh Assembly Government as part of their 2010 Ryder Cup bid and is endorsed by Woosnam and administered by Sports Council Wales to encourage a pathway for beginners who want to develop and play on a full size course.

Welsh Sports Minister Alun Pugh said: “We are creating more opportunities for people across Wales to take part in the game. Physical activity is key to a healthy lifestyle and these projects and will help make it easier for people across Wales of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy golf."

In July, Glyn Abbey Golf Club heard that its proposals to develop a nine hole Par-3, pay and play starter course would receive £44,469 and work is progressing on a £56,487 project in Caernarfon to provide golf facilities four primary schools and the upgrade a pitch and putt course at Coed Helen Recreation Park.

Chair of the Sports Council for Wales Philip Carling says:“Wales compares well with other countries in golf course provision but we don't have many facilities for beginners and particularly the young. This investment will help bridge this gap and attract new talent to golf and ensure that we maintain our current success rate at international level.”

So what are your local authorities and golf clubs doing for kids and to encourage the next generation of golfers? Is there cash injection? Is there a thriving junior section where youngsters are encouraged with the help of experienced adults? Or is there the feeling that kids and juniors just get in the way and it's someone else's responsibility? Tell us your views on the forum?

Previous article: Q-School: Nerves torn to shreds

Next article: How we can relate to Q-School

Discuss this story

Bob Warters

So what are your local authorities and golf clubs doing for kids and to encourage the next generation of golfers? Is there cash injection? Is there a thriving junior section where youngsters are encouraged with the help of experienced adults? Or is there the feeling that kids and juniors just get in the way and it's someone else's responsibility? We want to hear your views.
Posted: 16/11/2006 11:00

Keith Flook (19.2 or 16 with society)

Knotty Hill at Sedgefield is currently building a 9 hole accademy course.
The fairways look quite good at the moment on them but they are waiting for the new greens to settle down.
This is in addition the the 2 18 hole courses they have.
They also have sunday morning teaching sessions for the younger kids to get them into the game.
Posted: 16/11/2006 11:16

KK

Peover Golf Club is on the outskirts of Knutsford Cheshire and was probably one of the first equal opportunities golf clubs to be set-up in Cheshire if not the UK.
Over the last 2 years PGC have been nurturing its junior section the resident professional Mike Grantham has been providing tuition to the junior section on a regular basis to the point where they now have there own competition the difference being that they join the clubs weekly competition playing along side other memebers. Both the juniors and members acknowledge the benefits this brings to the club and we are pleased and proud of our juniors sections progress. Thanks to all the hard work by memebers, Mike Grantham and the owners of Peover Golf Club
Posted: 17/11/2006 10:04

Ben White (11.2)

Coombe Wood, where my Dad and I play has an active junior section with regular competitions, matches against other clubs and against seniors, ladies and adult men. From April to October, there is also a Friday evening roll-up where more experienced juniors play with younger ones, with adult supervision, to start them off on the course.
The course itself is not too long with a premium on accuracy, so it is suited to most juniors' games.
Posted: 20/11/2006 21:14