A VALE of Clwyd golf club is building on the boom in numbers taking up the game by offering cut price lessons to new starters.

Ruthin-Pwllglas Golf Club has seen membership grow by over 15 per cent in the past two years with the game’s popularity helped during the pandemic because it offers the chance to be active in a safe setting.

Now the club has teamed up with local golf professional Adam Wilson, of the Vale Golf Centre in Ruthin, to offer their New2Golf scheme, a series of group lessons which will start in the New Year.

They’re aimed at adults, men and ladies, £75 for 12 lessons, and juniors, £60 for 12, and will include a minimum of two sessions actually out on the course, one of the most scenic in the UK, as well as on the practice ground at the Centre.

Former Welsh boys international Adam Wilson, from Hawarden, said: “I do a lot of lessons with beginners and I love seeing them improve and develop into better players.

“We want to start the lessons in January and run them for 12 weeks so they can then be integrated into the golf club.

“Just wear comfortable clothing. The sport isn’t the stuffy old codgers’ game it’s sometimes portrayed as and we can even provide equipment, clubs, balls etc, for those who just want to give it a try first.”

Club chairman Ian Vaughan Evans said: “Our numbers are still going up and we have a range of different options to suit all requirements.

“Our numbers are up by more than 15 per cent to approaching 250 and part of that is because people see the game as a fairly safe sport to play from a Covid perspective as we are out in the open air and it’s easy to social distance.

“A good number of younger members have joined and it's been great seeing them around the course, enjoying themselves and getting very keen and competitive - proving it's not just an old fogeys game.

“We have welcomed a number of new members throughout the year as well as a number of those returning to the game and we are very much still open to new members.”

Catherine Parton, the club’s chair of handicaps, competitions and promotions, said: “By working with Adam at the Vale Golf Centre we are able to offer this scheme which is a fantastic way for anyone wishing to try golf as a new sport or to get back into the game.

“We can start the scheme in January as the driving range is undercover and we won’t be hampered by the weather and by working together the sessions can be spread between the driving range, the golf club practice area and the course to gain experience of all aspects of the game.

“It is always important to get a good start and get the basics right and that’s why we’ve teamed up with Adam Wilson who's just starting out on his career as a PGA Pro at Vale Golf Centre.”

The club is planning for junior sessions on Fridays with ladies on Wednesdays and men on Thursdays, but this can be flexible depending on demand.

Anyone interested can contact Adam via adamjwilson94@gmail.com or on 07587 153177.

After the course is completed there will be the opportunity to take up trial membership of Ruthin Pwllglas Golf Club at preferential rates, individual lessons will also be available at a discount along with discount cards for range balls at Vale Golf Centre.

For more information on Ruthin Pwllglas Golf Club go to https://ruthinpwllglasgc.uk/wp/