Celia Bartlett speaks to Editor Emma Ballard about her experiences volunteering for club and country over the last 20 years
As a PE teacher in the 1970s, Celia Bartlett was an active sportswoman playing hockey and squash. She admits at that time in her 20s golf was off her radar. “I had some lessons because my dad was a social member at a golf club, but I didn’t really think much of it,” she recalls.
After a career change, Celia picked up golf again in 1987. She quickly found her stride, dropping her handicap to 12, where it has remained “there or thereabouts” ever since. Though she never competed at the county level, her interest in the rules of golf grew steadily. In 2004, her home club Newport Links in West Wales, encouraged her to attend a rules school run by the Welsh Golfing Union. “I went, did my first rules course, and then started refereeing at Welsh Ladies Golf Union tournaments,” she says. This involvement deepened when she joined the Welsh Ladies Golf Union council.
Merging of the golf unions in Wales
Here Celia played an active role during the pivotal transition when the Welsh Ladies Golf Union merged with the Welsh Golfing Union to form Wales Golf in 2007. Reflecting on that time, she recalls, “They’d done a lot of work on equality to get women and men equally represented on the committee.” Despite early challenges, she’s proud that Wales was the first home nation to unify its men’s and women’s golf unions.

Her passion for officiating led her to the prestigious R&A rules course at St Andrews in 2011. “It was absolutely exhausting but such a great experience. My first ruling was with Andy McFee, who was Chief Referee on the European Tour at the time, which was quite daunting,” she remembers with a smile.
In 2012, Celia was asked to become President of Wales Golf – a surprise honour. Simultaneously, she became the first female President of Newport Links, which this year, 2025, celebrates its Centenary. “We’ve got the most amazing views, a stunning place – it’s privately owned and very special to me.” Her leadership also extended to the European stage when she served on the European Golf Association Championship Committee for four years.
President of the Union and Golf Club
As well as serving as President of Wales Golf (2013–2014), Celia continued her leadership journey at Newport Links. Interestingly, she became Club President before taking on the role of Club Captain – a rare path. “I’ve been Ladies Captain twice because we’re a small club, and most of us end up doing it more than once. It’s becoming harder to find people willing to step into these roles,” she notes.
Her passion for volunteering stemmed from her love of the rules. Even after stepping back from refereeing when the rules changed in 2023, Celia remained deeply involved. “I still helped at tournaments – working in the office, on the scoreboard, anything really. I have also been a Wales Golf selector for the women’s and girls’ teams.”

Growing membership at Newport Links Golf Club
Celia is optimistic about the impact of the AIG Women’s Open coming to Wales this year. “Let’s hope it really does make a difference,” she says, noting that while national initiatives are vital, local clubs and PGA professionals also play a key role. “Clubs and pros have to be proactive. You’ve got to go out there, ask people to play, and get them involved.”
At Newport Links, Celia and other members have embraced this proactive approach. “We’ve run ‘Pitch, Putt, and Prosecco’ sessions – just to get people to come along. Our pro handles the chipping, then we take them out for a few holes, followed by a buffet and a glass of something. It’s been really successful in attracting new members.”
She’s proud of how simple and welcoming the membership pathway is at Newport Links. “We’ve got someone coordinating everything. A message is sent out, and those of us willing to take new members out just turn up. We play a few holes, make it relaxed, and help them ease into the game.” The club’s privately owned course offers flexibility to accommodate new players even during busy times.
While the Newport Links ladies’ section is small, with around 20 to 30 regular players, Celia highlights the benefits of this tight-knit community. “Everyone tends to know everyone, which makes it easier to integrate new members.” She’s also pushed for inclusive competitions during her year as Club Captain in 2024. “I ran weekend comps open to everyone – women, juniors, men. Some questioned the format, saying, ‘The weather will be different on Saturday and Sunday,’ but I said, ‘Well, it’s different every day, isn’t it?’”
Thirty-eight years of change in women’s golf
Reflecting on nearly four decades in golf, Celia has witnessed significant shifts, especially for women. “When I first started, the club I was at was very old school – men’s bar, jacket and tie required. Women had their own suite of rooms upstairs. It never really bothered me, but that’s just how it was at many clubs.”
Despite traditional structures, Celia says she personally never faced discrimination. “I’ve always been welcomed. When my father passed away, I took over his tournament, played with the men, and it was never an issue.” However, in leadership, she’s seen the gender gap more clearly. “When I attended the Masters in 2014 and went to the closing ceremony as President of Wales Golf, I stood out – not just because of my Welsh kit, but because there were so few women.”



Her work on the equality standard for Wales Golf in 2008 highlighted persistent imbalances. “The survey showed the largest group was ‘Men of a Certain Age, White.’ I thought and said at the time that all we want is people to play golf, to do our utmost to try and see if we can just get people playing. That's what all of us want, as golfers, who know it's such a great sport, a game you can play with at any level.”
She believes inclusivity starts with simple actions. “Mixing players of different abilities helps. Some women lack patience with beginners, but we’ve all been there – topping shots, missing the ball. You’ve got to remember; I’ve been playing for 38 years.”
Reflecting on retirement
As Celia prepares to step back after twenty years of volunteering with Wales Golf, she reflects with gratitude and pride. “I’ve been really lucky in what I’ve done. I’ve had some fantastic experiences,” she says. Her voluntary roles have included some standout moments like vice-captaining the Vagliano Trophy twice and working with future professional stars such as Celine Boutier, Matilda Castren, and Albane Valenzuela. She was also Captain of the Welsh Women’s team at the Home Internationals three times!
Reflecting on her impact, she emphasises the importance of community. “It’s down to all of us to welcome people, take them out, and help – not coach, just support. If we want to grow the game, we’ve got to be proactive.” Even as she steps back from official roles, she’s also just finished as the President of the WWLGA (West Wales Ladies Golfing Association) which has around 700 members, founded in 1937 to promote, support and encourage women’s and girls’ golf, Celia’s commitment to the sport endures. “I’m so pleased I took up golf. It’s taken me all over Europe, to different places and courses. It’s been an incredible journey.”
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