New2Golf Ladies Swing Into Action To Raise Funds For Velindre Hospital
Golf Professional Gareth Bennett and Cottrell Park Golf Resort have been raising funds for Velindre Hospital in Whitchurch since August 2014.
The fundraising was initiated through the Golf Development Wales ‘New2Golf’ scheme encouraging beginners and lapsed golfers to take up the game of golf. Gareth Bennett qualified as a PGA Professional in 2007 and became one of Cottrell Park’s professionals in October 2013. He offered his coaching services free of charge for the Golf4Life named sessions and all participants paid £5.00 per week or £25.00 for six weeks. The hour long sessions covered all aspects of the game and finished with an on-course fun competition. All proceeds were collected and £720.00 was raised.
In addition the club arranged for pink golf shirts to be logo’d and sold with a contribution of £10 per shirt to be donated to the charity. In total 27 shirts were sold raising a further £270.
More recently Gareth has been coaching a group from ‘Spindogs’; a local leading web design and developments agency. They donated £300 for lessons for their employees and clients which again were donated to the charity. Three members of their team are continuing with lessons to improve their game.
Finally a Golf4Life competition was held on Monday 4th May. The entry fee was £10 per person with £5.00 going to Velindre. A field of 18 entrants entered with some playing a 5 hole competition and the rest a 9 hole competition. Entrants included four Cottrell Park employees, two Spindog employees and ladies currently having lessons with Gareth. The winner of the 5 hole comp was Lindsay Guthrie with 36 shots and Emily Pullham won the 9 hole comp with 71 shots. Both winners received a 30 minute golf lesson with Gareth Bennett.
In total £1500 was raised for Velindre Hospital including a donation of £120 from Cottrell Park Golf Resort. A cheque presentation is due to take place on Friday 22nd May.
Velindre Cancer Centre provides specialist cancer services to over 1.5 million people in South East Wales and beyond and they are one of the largest cancer centres in the UK.
Gareth Bennett, PGA Professional at Cottrell Park Golf Resort, added: “The New2Golf scheme at Cottrell Park has been hugely successful. On a personal note it feels great to be able to give back to the game of golf. By providing free lessons and giving opportunities to people to take up this great game and structured pathways to membership. At the same time raise money for a fantastic charity.”