Starter Centres

The Golf Foundation Starter Centre Initiative is a network of junior-friendly facilities which provide coaching opportunities for beginners (not necessarily members).

They produce annual reports on their activities, which must include an affordable structured coaching programme such as The Merit Award scheme, and in return the Golf Foundation provides some financial support to keep costs to the participants as low as possible.

Up to now, Wales has had 21 of these centres allocated in Wales but following support from the Sports Council for Wales the plan is to increase this number by a further 20 this year.

The full list of existing Starter Centres is published further below

The Golf Development Wales development officers have identified six new centres which are to come on-stream in March, but we now need to identify the next 14 centres which will come on-line in two batches of 7 in June and August.

If your club or facility is interested in becoming a Starter Centre, then please contact us at the WGU offices (01633) 423798 or via e-mail on [email protected] and we can discuss with you the requirements for selection.

Essentially we will be looking for facilities that have a true commitment to the development of junior golf – ideally professional coaching should be made available for junior beginners and should be at the very least affordable, fun, safe and following a structured coaching path such as The Merit Award Scheme.

 The list of centres in Wales is provided below:-

 Club or Local Authority         County                      Contact

 North Wales

Maesdu GC                              Conwy                          Mrs J Boulden               01492 875195

Old Padeswood GC                   Flintshire                    Captain                   01244 547401

Bull Bay GC                             Gwynedd                      Ian Furlong                   01407 831188

Llyn GC                                    Gwynedd                      E Evans                        01758 612520

Bryn Morfydd GC                     Denbighshire             Richard Hughes                TBC         

Clays GC                                  Wrexham                  Tony Harcombe                        01978 855933

 South Wales

Began Park Golf Centre             Cardiff                         Mr Bowes                    02920 361122

Grove Golf Club                        Glamorgan                    Leon Warne                  01656 788300

 St Pierre G C                            Gwent                          Craig Dunn                   01291 625205

Llantrisant & Pontyclun             Mid Glam                      R Randell                      01443 224601

 Monmouthshire                         Gwent                          Rachel Davies               01633 644539                                                 Sport Development Officer

 Vale of Glamorgan                    Vale of Glam                Paul Nanji                     01446 700111                                                 Sport Development Officer

 St Mellons & The                      Newport/Cardiff            Barry Thomas               01633 680101

Parc GC

West Wales

Clyne GC                                  Swansea                       Jonathan Clewett           01792 401989

 Milford Haven                           Pembs                          Nigel Roberts                01646 697762

 Newport Pembs                        Pembs                          Julian Noott                   01239 820244

Mid Wales

Powys Sports Dev.                    North – Mid Powys       Ian Williams                  01686 626521                                                   Sports Development Officer

Powys Sports Dev.                    Mid – Sth Powys       Sarah Powell                 01874 624904                                                     Sports Development Officer

 Approved Starter Centres

Chirk GC                                  Wrexham                      Mark Burford                01691 774407