Conwy Golf Club - Club of the Year 2007

Welsh Golf stars in a league of their own

Ryder Cup Wales hosted their annual gala dinner and awards at The Vale Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort last night (Thursday, 25th October) where The Towergate Welsh Golf Awards 2007, presented by the Golf Union of Wales, were announced.

There were 4 categories and details of the award winners are noted below:

Becky Brewerton scooped The Towergate Professional Player of the Year.

This year has seen the 25-year-old from Abergele land her first Ladies European Tour title in style at the Chart Hills Ladies English Open, in association with Golf Punk back in July. In addition, Becky became the first Welsh woman ever to be selected to play for the European team in the Solheim Cup which was played at Halmstad Golf Club in Sweden last month.

Llewellyn Matthews was presented with The Towergate Amateur Player of the Year.

23-year-old Llewellyn from Southerndown propelled himself into the Walker Cup reckoning after chalking up a stunning victory in the St Andrews Links Trophy with a record low aggregate in June, qualified for the Open at Carnoustie, retained his Order of Merit title and successfully defended his Welsh Amateur Championship in August at Royal St David's.

Conwy Golf Club won The Towergate Welsh Golf Club of the Year.

The last few years has really seen Conwy Golf Club step up a level. In 2006 Conwy was the first club in Wales to stage the Final Qualifying Rounds of the Open Championship, when the Championship returned to Royal Liverpool. More recently, the club had the fresh challenge of staging the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open where it saw the return of a professional golf tournament back to Conwy since 1970.

With growing membership and increased visitor numbers over recent years, Conwy has been recognised as a great place to play golf and it was named the Golf Monthly Gold Award Winner for 2006 and 2007 and was voted the Golf Punk reader’s favourite course in Wales during 2006.

Neil Matthews won The Towergate GDW / PGA Professional of the Year.

Neil is now the PGA Professional at Pontypool Golf Club and coaches all over the county of Gwent. He is also the Monmouthshire Ladies coach. He works diligently for Golf Development Wales (GDW) and the PGA, running workshops for beginner coaches and is heavily involved in the Golf Foundation and Golf Development Wales Golf Roots Programme which involves taking golf into large urban areas.

Tourism Minister, Rhodri Glyn Thomas, said: “The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to the continual improvement of quality in the industry, and these awards are a clear signal of the efforts to drive up standards of golf in the lead up to the Ryder Cup in 2010. In Wales you can play golf as it should be played, you can play your own game, at your own unhurried pace and savour the fantastic scenery. I would like to congratulate the three individuals and golf club on winning the awards and in realising that quality is key to success."

John Jermine, Chairman of Ryder Cup Wales, commented, “Winning the bid to host the Ryder Cup in 2010 is helping to establish Wales as an international golfing destination and we are already enjoying an increase of over 30% in our golfing visitors. Our golfing reputation is greatly enhanced by our growing band of world class golfers and I am delighted to see four such marvellous winners of the awards and thank Towergate, who have long been strong supporters of Welsh golf, for their generous and continuing sponsorship.”

Barry Gibbs, Managing Director of Towergate Underwriting, said, “These are exciting times for Welsh golf especially with the Ryder Cup coming to Wales in less than three years away. We are pleased to be able to support Welsh golf and continue this mutually beneficial relationship via the Towergate Welsh Golf Awards.”