Life lessons

A partnership between Whitchurch Golf Club in Cardiff and a local school has seen girls learn golf and life leadership skills over the course of six weekly sessions, instead of doing PE.

An ambitious scheme to attract schoolgirls into golf by combining sporting skills with leadership skills is having an impact in Cardiff.

The Leadership in Sport – Girls to Golf programme has been running at Whitchurch Golf Club in Cardiff, in partnership with pupils from Llanishen High School, aged 12 to 13. It blends practical golf sessions with theory sessions focused on enhancing leadership skills and other essential life skills.

Wales Golf has partnered with Whitchurch Golf Club, reaching out to civil service departments, Cardiff Commitment Curriculum Team, Soroptimists International Cardiff and District, and other key agencies to join forces in designing and delivering the programme.

It was delivered to 15 Llanishen schoolgirls through six sessions this spring, taking place during PE lessons.

It was inspired by Sally Little, an iconic figure in Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), whose influence has been a source of motivation for the Girls to Golf development.

The programme highlights how sport requires a range of transferable skills which may enhance employment opportunities. The goal was for every participant to feel they’ve gained lifelong skills by the end of the six-week scheme.

Wales Golf’s Zoe Davies explained: “This scheme introduces golf to girls who may not have otherwise received the opportunity to experience the sport.

“The focus is around introducing golf as a sport for life, as well as promoting the skills involved in promising career opportunities within the sport and wider employment sectors.

“Most golf clubs across Wales have a predominantly male membership, so we are working to make that more balanced.

“We thank all our partners for their involvement and the strong support they have provided throughout the process of getting this programme off the ground. Our hope is that we can offer this programme to more schools in the future.”

Kim Ann Williamson, MBE, founder of the programme and Whitchurch Golf Club volunteer, added: “The inspiration from Sally Little enabled us to develop a local Leadership in Sport – Girls to Golf programme which has been designed and developed to be delivered on a multi-agency basis.

“Our ambition is to spark curiosity in young girls, introducing them to the game of golf whilst enhancing their leadership skills and wider life skills. Thank you to everyone, and to Wales Golf in particular, for their belief in our vision.

“In particular, I would like to target the girls who have never had the opportunity, the funding or the encouragement to play golf, to lift their chance of playing golf, be good at it and most importantly to have fun.”

Kate Martin, health and wellbeing lead on the Cardiff Council Curriculum team, said: “This has been such an exciting project to be a part of – creating a space for girls to develop as confident individuals as they discover, experience, and take their place in a future filled with limitless career opportunities.”

One of the guest speakers at the sessions was Danielle Jordan of HMPPC, the prison probation service, who won 89 caps for Wales in hockey and represented Great Britain at under 23 level.

“Mostly I spoke about my background as an international hockey player,” she said. “My session was on teamwork and leadership, pitching to them about who their role models are, and to get them to reflect on that.

“It is part of working as a team – how you pick each other up, celebrate each other’s successes, communicate, work together, lead, overcome disappointment – all those are transferable.

“I only did this sort of scheme in hockey when I got to a certain level, so this is a big opportunity for the girls. Hopefully it is nice for them to hear from someone from another sport.”

Whitchurch clubhouse manager, Christian Bannister, added: “The club is delighted to support this scheme and it is great to see the girls working out on the course with our staff and volunteers, as well as learning in the clubhouse.”

This came a few months after more than 60 girls in North Wales took part in the Girls Golf Cymru Programme, which ran over the winter.

Monthly clinics helped the girls between the ages of five and 15 develop their game and have fun bonding, finishing off with a nine-hole competition where they were able to improve their handicaps, or start getting handicaps depending on experience.

The sessions were split between the practice facilities at Conwy Golf Club and on the course at Penmaenmawr Golf Club, also learning different skills alongside playing clinics.

Those sessions were delivered by PGA professionals Robin Hughes, Louise Davis-Owen and Ross Bebbington, for over five hours each month.

“Their enthusiasm and commitment shone through over the winter,” said Wales Golf’s Kim Ellis.

“More than 60 girls from all over North Wales came to the sessions, with between 20 and 42 coming to each one, which is a fantastic boost for girls golf in North Wales.

“Most sessions were themed depending on the month – for example, in October, the girls did Halloween crafts during lunch, in November we had a quiz and December was Christmas themed.

“Our final clinic saw the girls play an event over nine holes scoring a card. Girls with handicaps were able to try to bring them down and girls without were able to use the card towards getting one.

“We didn’t have to cancel any sessions over the winter, and we have had amazing feedback from the parents and girls. Now, we are looking to get as much feedback as possible to see what we can improve for next year.”

Davis-Owen, added: “The sessions were brilliant for bringing the girls on or keeping their game going over the winter.

“One of the best things was that there was such a variety of abilities involved, from five or six year-olds learning to hit the ball through, to older players looking to get their handicaps down.

“At the end they all played nine holes, but also made friends from across North Wales. It was a nice mixture of coaching and playing, so it was nice to see them putting all that into practice on the course.”