Cross Party Group on Sport – 3 June 2025 – Held remotely at 10am.

Minutes

Attendees:

Laura Anne Jones (Chair), Matthew Williams (WSA, Secretary), Liam Rodney (MSSS), Sam Kurtz MS, Edward Evans (MSSS – Sam Kurtz), Mike Hedges MS,

Theo Baker, Dilwyn Griffiths, Caitlin Pugh (Wales Golf)

Apologies:

Alun Davies MS,

The Chair welcomed attendees to the meeting,

Election of a Deputy Chair was deferred to the end of the meeting.

Theo Baker introduced the AIG Women’s Open and it’s host location at the Royal Porthcawl. TB also provided some summary detail on the state of Golf in Wales. TB noted that post Covid Golf is a growing sport in Wales.

TB detailed the efforts Wales Golf has made to bring younger people into the sport – and the success of the Flexi Club scheme in attracting younger people following a question from Sam Kurtz MS.

The Chair asked what efforts and success has been made in securing greater participation by women and girls.

There are 91 schools in Wales delivering “Unleash your drive” regularly, alongside a developed programme of girls only sessions at Golf Clubs across the country.

Wales Golf are delivering a Careers in Golf Programme, mainly in the Bridgend area, to outline the high variety of roles that are available in golf to people in education – these opportunities span from greenkeeping and agri-environment, to finance, governance and administration.

Wales Golf has emphasised the health benefits of the sport over the previous years, including in conjunction with the AIG Women’s Open where the health benefits of walking around the course will be emphasised.

Dilwyn Griffiths introduced the £1m grant scheme Wales Golf have secured on the back of the AIG Women’s Open. The fund is being distributed in awards of a maximum of £25,000 – Wales Golf received 70 applications to this fund and in total 74 projects and 49 clubs were funded. Many of these projects are focused on modernising facilities for women and girls, and providing on course toilet facilities.

DG also spoke to the sustainability initiatives that Wales Golf are undertaking – in particular ahead of the AIG Women’s Open to highlight the efforts Golf is undertaking to protect nature and the environment.

Caitlin Pugh (CP) spoke to Wales Golf’s communications plan in and around the AIG Women’s Open to create a lasting legacy of golf in Wales off the back of the event.