Carmarthen has been recognised for turning round its fortunes by being made the Welsh Golf Club of the Year at the Golf Union of Wales Awards.
The club were presented with the award by Bob Sutton, marketing director of sponsor Future Financials in a ceremony at Celtic Manor, the venue for the 2010 Ryder Cup, coming out on top in what was the strongest ever entry for this section.
Six clubs were shortlisted along with Carmarthen, Aberdovey, Glyneath, Holywell, Langland Bay, Maesteg and Welshpool, but the West Wales club was the outstanding candidate for the way they have transformed their fortunes.
Carmarthen won the award for a remarkable turnaround. In the club's centenary year in 2007 they were struggling, membership numbers were declining and members were critical of the course.
In 2008 the club showed a loss of £23,000, but then started a programme of change which has seen it change to the extent that this year a profit of £40,000 is anticipated, despite doubling their overheads having hired director of golf Darren Griffiths and administrator Gemma Voaden.
Membership has increased by more than 100 as they have taken advantage of Golf Union of Wales and Ryder Cup Wales schemes, spending money in the right areas.
They built a new driving range and fitting centre, thanks to a Ryder Cup Wales Legacy Grant, invested in the quality of the greens and standard of the course, improved the catering, established a cluster agreement with local clubs and hotels, introduced an online tee booking system, among many other membership and visitor initiatives which have given them a modern, dynamic corporate image.
“It is absolutely fantastic for a small club like Carmarthen to be recognised in this way on the national stage,” said captain Phil Lewis.
“We had to change the way we were thinking as a club to fit in with the modern way of life, so to get a prize for it from the Golf Union of Wales is the icing on top of the cake without any shadow of doubt.
“Four years ago we were showing a deficit in our accounts, this year we are projecting a profit of around £40,000. We took some brave decisions to recruit different people and we have a terrific director of golf in Darren Griffiths, a thriving junior section and in a few years time there will be some really good golfers coming through our ranks.
“The condition of the course has improved, our reputation is now great and there is much more camaraderie in the club – we have gone a long way in a short period of time.
“We are bucking the trend a little bit because our numbers are increasing. We have had to think differently in terms of the memberships we have available, including occasional membership for people who could not pay the full fee because they were not playing enough.”
Future Financials marketing director Bob Sutton presented the award and added, “It is rewarding for sponsors to see such development within Welsh golf.
“When Carmarthen were struggling a few years ago, they could have taken a defeatist attitude but in fact they did the opposite when faced with adversity.
“Their progress is based on making the quality of the course and the club something more attractive to members, as well as developing the facilities and the membership structure."