Ashburnham Golf Club awarded another top championship event

The prestigious links championship course at The Ashburnham Golf Club in Pembrey has just been awarded another key tournament.

The 2013 Men’s Welsh Amateur Championships has been awarded to The Ashburnham by the Welsh Golfing Union.

The Ashburnham stepped into the breach when another club couldn’t fulfil the requirements to stage the championship.

“We were asked if we could help by stepping into the gap and staging the championship and we were delighted to accept,” said Ashburnham club manager Huw Morgan.

“The Ashburnham has a huge reputation as a championship course and there are only a handful of courses of our standard in Wales who could possibly stage such a championship.

“We are absolutely delighted to host the 2013 Men’s Welsh Amateur as it now gives us four great years of championship events at The Ashburnham, proving that we are widely recognised as a quality tournament venue.

“Our calendar for the next few years reads –

• “2012 Welsh Ladies’ Open Stroke Play Championships

• “2013 Men’s Welsh Amateur Championships

• “2014 Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championships

• “2015 Men’s Welsh Stroke Play Championships

“That’s quite a portfolio of events for us at The Ashburnham and we are delighted to be staging them. We can promise a true championship test for each event and the warmest of Welsh welcomes.”

The Ashburnham is the course where the great Welshman and winning Ryder Cup Captain Dai Rees won the PGA title in 1959. It has long been regarded as one of the best links courses in Britain.

The Ashburnham takes its name from the 5th Earl of Ashburnham, who once owned the land and became the club’s inaugural President in 1894.

Two other Ryder Cup Captains have been successful in their playing careers at The Ashburnham in the shape of Bernard Gallacher, who won the Schweppes PGA Championship in 1969, and Sam Torrance, who won the Martini Tournament in 1976.

The Ashburnham has a proud history of hosting many of the major amateur tournaments, having first held a Welsh Amateur Championship in 1904.

Last year, The Ashburnham was the venue for the Men’s Home Internationals.

Picture Caption:

Ashburnham officials celebrate the award of the 2013 Men’s Welsh Amateur Championships at their annual dinner staged at the Stradey Park Hotel, Llanelli. Pictured left to right – Ashburnham club manager Huw Morgan, Captain Tony Washer, President Brian Williams, Vice-captain Mel Williams and last year’s Club Captain Huw Dixon.

For further information about The Ashburnham Golf Club, contact - The Clubhouse, Cliffe Terrace, Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, SA16 0HN, tel:01554 832269, email:admin@ashgolf.co.u click here for website.

Issued by Robert Lloyd.