Tenby certainly had a part to play in winning Wales the 'Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year Award', which was awarded at the International Association of Golf Tour Operators' annual gala event, held during the International Golf Travel Market at Biarritz earlier this month.
Nominated by golf travel journalists from more than 20 countries and voted for by members of the Golf Travel Writers Association, this is a wonderful accolade for golf tourism in Wales. Getting the thumbs up from the top golf travel journalists in the world suggests that Wales won't remain undiscovered for long!
Tenby featured for the first time this year in Golf World magazine's top 100 courses in the British Isles. It is claimed that Welsh golf, like Welsh Christianity, began in this corner of Wales.
Although it is disputed where golf was played first in Wales, it is officially recognised that the first club was formed amid the sand dunes near Tenby in 1888.
The Wales Tourist Board recently launched the first part of its 10 year golf tourism strategy, with the unveiling of the new campaign, 'Wales: Golf as it should be'. Wales needs a strong positioning that counters the already very established positioning of golf in other countries, particularly in Scotland and Ireland and one that positions Wales as the antidote to some of the outdated images of golf. In Wales, you really can play golf as it should be played - in beautiful surroundings, at an unhurried pace, at a reasonable cost and with easy access, even to its trophy courses.
Roger Pride, Marketing Director at the Wales Tourist Board commented: "This is the beginning of big things for golf tourism in Wales. Well-travelled golfers who have already played at many of the world's top golfing destinations can come to Wales and find something new, something fresh - and golf as it should be.
"WTB is committed to developing the golf tourism product in Wales and is confident of being able to commit £9 million of investment support monies for the development of golf tourism related projects over the next three years. WTB are determined to see the Ryder Cup success bring real economic benefits to the whole of Wales."