CLAYS GOLF CENTRE SMASHES WORLD RECORD
Wrexham’s Clays Golf Centre successfully teed up the biggest organised golf lesson ever yesterday, smashing the current Guinness world record.An incredible 802 school students turned out to help shatter the record, which had stood at 491 people taught in unison, after nine primary schools had sent along budding golfers on the day.
Just days before the Ryder Cup kicked off in Kentucky, the record attempt took place at 2pm on Wednesday 17 September at Clays Golf Centre’s newly renovated driving range. The mass golf lesson was the culmination of the Golf Roots festival, an initiative set up by the Golf Foundation in 2003 to provide youngsters in inner city areas with a golfing experience.
Sponsorship for the event and a five year ongoing commitment to the development of youth golf in North East Wales has come in the form of a £4,500 contribution from Bridgestone, £4000 from Mizuno and £1,800 from Srixon. To complement the sponsorship agreements, the Welsh Assembly Government has provided just over £9,000 of Sportsmatch Cymru funding towards the development of junior golf.
Sportsmatch Cymru is a Welsh Assembly Government business incentive scheme for sport in Wales, managed by the Sports Council for Wales. It is designed to encourage more business backing for grassroots sport by matching new or additional sponsorship.
To date, the scheme has benefited over 797 sports projects across Wales, resulting in a massive £2,731,103 being pumped into the heart of Welsh communities by the programme and its commercial partners.
Steve Williams, Clays Golf Centre Manager said,
"I really do think we can change how golf evolves in the forthcoming years with this amount of input from sponsors and the Sports Council for Wales and with the full backing of Dragon Sport at Wrexham County Borough Council. Setting a new world record will be the icing on the cake, but the real purpose of the day is to get more youngsters interested in the great game of golf."
Chair of the Sports Council for Wales Philip Carling said,
"It is through innovative initiatives like this that we hope to encourage more youngsters in Wales to play golf. The staging of the Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor Resort in 2010 will inspire many new golfers to take up the sport in Wales. With more than 200 courses, we are in a strong position to cater for the increased demand, and to provide as many people as possible with the opportunity to enjoy the game."
Golf Development Officer Dilwyn Griffiths, from Golf Development Wales said,
"Our ethos at Golf Development Wales is: develop the golfer, develop the person, develop the sport. This event and the ensuing support that it brings will help us immensely in reaching those goals. We hope that one of the main outcomes will be a significant increase in the numbers of juniors, especially girls, affiliated to golf clubs across North Wales."
Cllr Bob Dutton, Lead Member for Communities and Performance, said:
"This is an excellent example of partnership working that will benefit young people throughout the county borough. Golf is not only a good game, its good exercise and I hope to see many young people taking up the sport following this event and the sponsorship that is being put into the game."
Paul Reed. UK Sales Director. Srixon Sports Europe Ltd said,
"Srixon are delighted to be involved with Clays Golf Centre and this unique event and we wish them every success in their attempt to set a new world record."
Rob Jackson, Mizuno UK Sales and Marketing Manager said,
"Mizuno are proud to be associated with this world record attempt. Any initiative that encourages youngsters to learn and play the game of golf is welcomed as we all want more golfers playing and enjoying this great sport."