Wales Golf is to launch a new festival weekend in 2020 with five separate events open for new, junior and disabled golfers.
That is one of a series of changes to many of the Wales Golf events which have been announced with the aim of allowing more golfers to compete in national championships.
The inaugural Wales Golf Festival will take place on the 19th – 21st June at Parc Golf Club between Cardiff and Newport as a celebration of inclusive and competitive golf.
“The launch of the Wales Golf Festival is a very exciting addition to our Championship and Events schedule,” said Wales Golf Director of Development Hannah McAllister.
“A huge amount of work goes into helping people of all circumstances get into our sport and this will surely prove to be a great celebration of that work.
“Parc Golf Club is such a wonderful supporter of Wales Golf and the schemes we promote, so it is fitting that the launch of this event will be at this venue.”
The Festival will kick off on the morning of Friday 19th with an event for golfers with disabilities, open to men and women of affiliated clubs and schemes of Wales Golf in what will be a celebration of inclusivity within the sport.
On the evening of the 19th, Parc Golf Club will play host to a South Wales Summer Swing event; open to all players who have taken part in the New2Golf scheme in the past three years.
Day Two of the festival will kick off with a mixed gender medal, trialling the new World Handicap System.
This is set to become a club-run Legacy Event as a result of Wales hosting the Curtis Cup in 2020 and AIG Women’s British Open in 2021. This event for Parc Golf Club members in 2020 will offer a first-hand look into the future of Handicap Competition.
Later on the 20th will be a Golf Sixes Cup style event with an introduction into adult players for Wales. The Festival will be concluded on the final day with Event 4 of the Ping Welsh Junior Tour.
The Ping Welsh tour itself will remain with the same format. There will also be a new venue at Milford Haven Golf Club for players in West Wales. The 2020 Ping Welsh Junior Tour will once again offer six regional events prior to a grand final for golfers under the age of 14.
The finals of one of the oldest golf events in Wales, the Welsh Ladies Team Championships, will be reduced to a two day, weekend event with regional qualifying rounds, following consultation with competitors and captains at this year’s event.
The aim is to make the event more competitive and cost effective for the modern era. “It is with real hope that these changes are a positive move for this Championship” explains Richard Dixon, Chief Executive of Wales Golf.
“We have seen significant decline in entry numbers in recent years and we feel this revised format gives greater opportunity for clubs to compete in what is a highlight in our Championship season.”
From next season, the Welsh Open Strokeplay will be played over four days. That will mean an increased number of players will be able to make the cut and give an experience closer to that which would be experienced in professional tournaments.
The Under 21 Championship at Llandudno Maesdu Golf Club, 29th – 31st May, will be a mixed gender Championship. The overall Welsh Open Youths’ Champion of the 72 hole Championship can be either male or female.
2019 saw the Welsh Under 16 Championship extended to 54 holes for the first time, with Aberdovey’s Connor Owen producing a stunning victory at Clyne. The 2020 playing of the Championship will once again be played over three rounds, and now will be a counting event for the World Amateur Golf Rankings.