Haverfordwest, Wales – May 1, 2025
Haverfordwest Golf Club has made history as the first club in Wales to achieve Gold status under the newly updated Women in Golf Charter, a milestone recognising its commitment to inclusivity and gender equity in the sport.
The Charter, updated in January alongside the launch of the Women’s Golf Legacy Fund, introduces a tiered system (bronze, silver, and gold) to help clubs assess and improve their inclusivity practices. Haverfordwest’s Gold accreditation places it at the forefront of this effort.
Backed by Legacy Funding
As part of the award, the club will receive funding to upgrade its greenkeeper facilities—supporting a team where one in four members are women. Haverfordwest is among 49 Welsh clubs benefitting from a £1 million Welsh Government investment to enhance golf environments for women, girls, and people with disabilities.
The funding forms part of the legacy for Wales hosting the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl this summer, the most significant women’s sporting event ever staged in the country.
A Model for Inclusion
Zoe Davies, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Project Lead at Wales Golf, praised the club’s achievement: “Congratulations to Haverfordwest on not only being the first club in Wales to meet the new standards, but for going straight in at Gold level. Their example sets a strong precedent for other clubs.”
Davies highlighted the club’s inclusive governance—half the management board is female—and a membership that includes over 20% women. Haverfordwest also offers equal playing rights to all members and runs regular beginner programmes like New2Golf.
Celebrating Progress and Looking Ahead
Women’s Captain Nicky Reeves said the club’s progress builds on a long-standing culture of inclusion. “We were delighted to get the confirmation,” she said. “The women here championed playing golf with the men 40 years ago, and we’ve had programmes like New2Golf running for 14 years.”
Reeves noted that nearly a quarter of current women members joined through the New2Golf pathway. New programmes for juniors and girls are set to launch this June.
As a reward for their Charter success, Haverfordwest has received 20 tickets to the AIG Women’s Open, taking place July 30 to August 3 at Royal Porthcawl. “Many of our members have never been to a professional tournament,” Reeves said. “There’s real excitement about seeing the world’s best so close to home.”
Tickets for the AIG Women’s Open start from £10, with free entry for children under 16 when accompanied by a paying adult. More information is available at aigwomensopen.com.
