Ashburnham cheer on US Master winner Adam Scott

by Robert Lloyd

Golfers at The Ashburnham Championship Links in Pembrey, Burry Port, will be cheering on US Masters winner Adam Scott as he bids for another Major title in the British Open at Muirfield, Scotland, this weekend.

Club officials have known about their links with the 33-year-old Australian for a number of years, but have kept it all very low key up to now.

“We’ve known about the links with Adam Scott for some time now, but we have been a bit shy in bragging about it,” said Ashburnham Golf Club manager Huw Morgan.

“The link spins back a couple of generations, but it is there. We are very proud of it – and this week Adam himself has gone on the record to talk about his links with The Ashburnham.”

Scott explained: “My late grandmother Gillian Gravelle is from Burry Port and her brother Emrys was the secretary at Ashburnham Golf Club.

“I still have family living down in the area and I’m sure the Ashburnham members will be rooting for me, if a Welshman doesn’t win it (the Open).”

Ashburnham club manager Mr Morgan said: “We know that Adam’s father, Phil, has visited the Ashburnham and played our celebrated links, but we’ve got no record of Adam having played the course . . . yet!

“But, of course, we live in hope.

“Obviously, the welcome mat is out for Adam if he decides to pay us a visit to get some practice on a challenging links course. We’d love to see him hear and the members would love to be able to congratulate him on his Masters win.”

Mr Morgan added: “Adam’s cousin Simon Gravelle is a prominent member here.

“We understand that Adam’s grandmother emigrated to Australia, where she raised her family. Adam was born in Adelaide.

“On Adam’s grandmother’s side we have her brother Emrys Gravelle, who is in a nursing home. Sadly, Emrys lost his wife Thelma roughly at the same time that Adam was celebrating his Masters win.

“Emrys was a long serving secretary to The Ashburnham and is a very much admired figure here at the golf club.”

Scott turned professional in 2000. He now lives in Switzerland.

He made headline news in last year’s British Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes. First he set a new course record of 64 and then he blew the tournament lead on the last few holes to be beaten by Ernie Els.

Scott, a Top 10 world-ranked golfer has said: “I started in golf because my family was involved in the sport. My mom and dad are both really good golfers so it was introduced naturally.”

His father Phil was once asked when he first realised that Adam was going to be more than just a good, low-handicap amateur.

Phil replied that the penny dropped during a round when Adam, who was 12 at the time, hit a perfect one-iron from the fairway that soared long and high in exactly the intended trajectory.

The Ashburnham has many celebrated links to great golfers. Ryder Cup Captain Dai Rees won the PGA title in 1959 at the Pembrey links. Other Ryder Cup Captains who have been successful in their playing careers in Ashburnham are Bernard Gallacher, who won the Schweppes PGA Championship in 1969, and Sam Torrance, who won the Martini Tournament at the course.

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