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Whitchurch best in Wales

23rd March2009

Whitchurch golf club in Cardiff is looking to build on being voted the Best Inland Course in Wales by grass roots players � above the Ryder Cup TwentyTen Course at Celtic Manor.

The award comes from a public vote through the pages of the Welsh Club Golfer, which is distributed to all clubs in Wales.

Welsh Club Golfer Editor Michael McEwan explained, �Some categories of the survey were more clear-cut than others, but the preferred golf course categories - including the top inland course - were hotly contested.

�For Whitchurch to win clearly underlined the high regard in which it is held by Welsh grass-roots golfers, particularly in the face of such stiff competition.�

The popularity of the course to the North of the Welsh capital, a driver and five iron away from the M4, is such that it is one of the few in Wales that still has a waiting list to join, however they are keen to promote a club which has always been something of a hidden gem.

�We are delighted with this recognition, though not totally surprised. It is particularly nice because of where it has come from � the readers of Welsh Club Golfer are the grass roots golfers around Wales,� said club secretary Graham Perrott.

�Whitchurch is a good golf course with a strong social side. We get a lot of comments from good players after events such as the Silver Dragon, saying the course is fantastic and the greens are particularly good.

�We have a separate ladies pro shop, while the improvements to the catering have been well received.

�We have societies on a Thursday and the members accept this, which means that when large societies come here it is their golf course for the day which generally goes down very well.�

Four time Walker Cup player Nigel Edwards is a member of the club and has some advice for those looking to play there.

�Keep it straight - although everybody seems to think it is a short course and it is easy to get round, when we have tournaments here players do not go round in loads under par,� he said.

�You need to keep it on the fairway and get used to the subtle borrows on the greens.

�People regard it as the best inland course in the area, the greens are very consistent week in, week out. It is progressing, but we have got to keep the standard right up there

�I joined in 1985 and played many nice games here, it is a great club to be a member of, there is a great community spirit within the club.

�I have had plenty of support from club members, some of whom have followed me all over the world, to the world championships in Sout Africa, Walker Cups in the States, Great Britain and Ireland.�

Having been recognised by the readers of Welsh Club Golfer, Whitchurch is determined to maintain those high standards.