Long-serving Morgan set to move on

AFTER more than four decades as an administrator of Welsh golf, Andy Morgan has stepped down to focus on other work commitments.

A dental surgeon by profession, the Royal Porthcawl club member from Cardiff has been at the heart of the game in Wales for 41 years.

He has been chairman of Golf Development Wales for the past decade and played a key role in the organisation’s formation as part of the 2010 Ryder Cup bid.

Morgan will now concentrate on his captaincy of the European team which takes on Asia Pacific for the Bonallack Trophy in Portugal this April, as well as his position on the board of Sport Wales.

During his time in the Welsh game he was a director of the Golf Union of Wales and further afield held the position of European Golf Association president.

Under his stewardship, Golf Development Wales helped transform the landscape of Welsh golf with around 180,000 people being introduced to the game through a GDW scheme.

“My first role in Welsh golf was as the first non-playing captain of Welsh Boys back in 1971 so it is 41 years since I have been involved and that is enough for anybody, it is time to pass on the mantle,” said Morgan, a former director of Ryder Cup Wales.

“I got involved early in the bid process for the Ryder Cup. We already had a coaching structure for the elite players, I wanted to put a development structure in place but we did not have any money.

“That was put at the heart of the Ryder Cup bid; it became a major part and one of the deciding factors in our favour. When Wales won the bid we had it all ready to set up and off we went.

“It has been through three distinct phases. When we started the aim was to give kids the experience through Tri-Golf in the schools, then we got golf included as part of Dragon sport so there were officers all round Wales who could deliver that.

“Then we concentrated more on ladies and minority areas, now the main focus is helping golf clubs to become businesses and cope with the changes in society.

“Those are three distinct phases and they have achieved an awful lot, I am certainly proud to have played a part in setting it up and then achieving so many objectives.

“I know there are some really good people there in Golf Development Wales who will keep up the good work.”

Morgan will still be able to keep an eye on golfing developments through his role at Sport Wales and current Golf Union of Wales chairman John Jermine thanked him for his efforts over the years.

“Andy is a life-long friend who has been involved with every major initiative in Welsh golf, especially during the last 20 years,” he said.

“We will miss him but we know Sport Wales will benefit greatly from his knowledge and commitment and we wish him, and sport in Wales, even greater success in the future.”