The Wales Golf Awards, which recognise the best in Welsh golf, are to return next year following a four-year gap caused by the pandemic.
The awards, will be held at Celtic Manor in March, will be celebrating all levels of Welsh golf from junior participation through to management and golfer of the year.
The last Wales Golf awards lunch was scheduled for March 30, 2020, before Covid forced a late cancellation and made the following two years equally challenging, meaning the last time the awards were held was in 2019.
There will be the presentation of Welsh Golf Club of the Year, along with the JuniorGolfCert Junior Club of the Year, Development PGA Professional of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Golfer of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Award.
There will also be a new award, The Welsh Golf Club Manager of the Year supported by the Golf Club Managers Association Wales Region.
Wales Golf welcomes Howdens Insurance Brokers as an award sponsor, there are further sponsorship opportunities for other award categories.
“A lot has changed in the wider world and the world of golf since we were last able to gather and recognise the best of Welsh golf,” said Wales Golf chief executive Hannah McAllister. “The 2020 Awards could hardly have been timed more unluckily, while it was not possible to plan events for the following two years either. Golf has been boosted during the Covid period in terms of participation, with the numbers playing and joining golf clubs having gone up.
“That time helped reinforce the health benefits of playing an outdoor sport for life, while having plenty of fun at the same time. Since then we have launched the ‘Golf is Good’ campaign along with The R&A and Gareth Bale, which has helped maintain healthy numbers playing the game.
“Welsh golf clubs have been severely tested in the last three years, but have come out stronger. There has been so much good work it is great to finally recognise the clubs and people who have made a difference. These awards really do cover every area of the game, from Player of the Year to Volunteer of the Year, as well as the awards to the Club of the Year and Junior Club of the Year.
“That good work has been carrying on and it is nice to think we will be able to publicly thank and congratulate all those people in the special venue for Welsh golf fans of The Twenty Ten clubhouse at Celtic Manor. We would encourage everyone involved in golf in Wales to think of anyone they know, or any club, who deserve that recognition. We look forward to seeing the award winners in March next year.”
Applications and nominations for the 2022 Wales Golf Awards are now open, and will remain open until December 30. www.walesgolf.org/wales-golf-awards/
