Helping schoolgirls across Cardiff into golf, along with developing their leadership potential, has brought Whitchurch (Cardiff) Golf Club the Wales Golf Women and Girls Project of the Year Award.
The club worked with Wales Golf and Year 8 girls from North Cardiff secondary schools, with almost 50 going through the innovative programme, developed in line with the Curriculum for Wales and supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).
The club received the award, supported by Great Days Golf, at the Annual Wales Golf Awards, sponsored by Toptracer, held at the Twenty Ten Clubhouse at Ryder Cup venue Celtic Manor.
“I did New2Golf at Whitchurch and it was clear there were not enough ladies at the golf club, particularly there were not enough girls,” said project founder Kim Ann Williamson, MBE.
“We got together with the team at the club and planned the women and girls project, getting pupils from schools into Whitchurch to learn the game of golf – but also leadership skills and life skills that hopefully they will use for the rest of their lives.
“Since then the junior section has grown to the extent we can offer the girls a chance to come up to the club on girls training nights, we have a pathway for them to come through as members or have a career in golf which they might not have considered.
“Every week they practice on the golf course and then come inside to do leadership skills, but also it is around collaboration, learning and putting those lessons into practice over the seven weeks.”
The Leadership in Sport Girls to Golf seven week Programme was founded in 2024 at Whitchurch Golf Club with the support of Wales Golf, having been inspired by the work of international golf legend Sally Little who has set up Girls to Golf in the USA and South Africa.
Assistant Professional Ryan Thomas played a major role in the golf part of the programme, teaching new skills and encouraging the girls to play and develop their skills.
He was part of a Project Team including Wales Golf, Head Professional Will Urwin, club management, Whitchurch Ladies Team, Cardiff Council Curriculum Team and Soroptimist International Wales South.
The Programme has also been supported by Pam Chugg, a founder member of the Ladies European Tour and also a Whitchurch member.
Whitchurch General Manager Paul Crowe added, “Everyone at the club is proud of this innovative programme itself and the recognition it has now received at a national level.
“The idea came from within the Ladies section at the club and has been fully embraced by the professional staff here to make it work.
“The plan is to extend the programme to new places, everyone at Whitchurch would love to be part of the trailblazing efforts of those who have made this so successful.”
The award celebrates a golf club that has made an outstanding contribution to growing and supporting women and girls in the game.
It recognises innovation, commitment, and positive impact, highlighting a project that has successfully encouraged participation, increased membership, and fostered a welcoming and inclusive environment.
This accolade honours a club leading the way in creating meaningful opportunities and inspiring the next generation of women and girls in Welsh golf.
The programme introduced the girls to a range of different life skills and leadership lessons – ranging from communication, working as a team, importance of healthy bones, and the power of friendship and trust.
This learning was then transferred onto the golf course, led by the Golf Pro and supported by Community Golf Instructors, with continued learning about etiquette and rules and techniques of how to putt, chip and drive the golf ball.
The learning was strengthened by team competitions and a range of team games to practice new skills each week that should help them into their adult life.
This programme demonstrated the commitment of Whitchurch Golf Club, but also local schools in providing opportunities to young girls who might not have the chance to be exposed to a golf club or learning to play golf.
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