St Athan Veterans win the South Wales Seniors Classic Bowl

The Veterans Section team from St Athan Golf Club won the SWSC Bowl competition at the Grove Golf Club on Thursday 3rd September 2026.

The annual competition, run by the SWSC Committee, raises money each year for the Wales Air Ambulance Charity and inclding this year's donation of £11k has raised around £140k.

This year the tournament commenced in March with 64 teams from Golf Clubs across South Wales entering the 6 man pairs matchplay knockout format.

St Athan were drawn against Caerphilly in the qualifying round and in soggy and soaking wet spring conditions, lost both legs so were knocked out of the main Cup and entered the Bowl.

Travelling to St Pierre Golf Club for the first round in May, during heat wave No1, St Athan squeezed through winning on the first playoff hole.

Then onto Glynhir Golf Club in June during heat wave No2, it was so hot that the sole melted off one of Gerry's golf shoes, but a good away win nonetheless.

At the quarter final at Coed-Y-Mwstwr Golf Club in July, during heat wave No3, St Athan took on the Tenby Golf Club team and won in convincing fashion.

The semi-finals were held at Llanhishen Golf Club on a pleasant August summers day versus our new friends from Wenvoe Golf Club. By now, after a long hot dry summer the golf course, like many others as firm and challening. The match was a really close contest with St Athan winning its final match on the 18th green.

Now filled with confidence the St Athan team were up against the team from Cradoc Golf Club in the final at the Grove Golf Club. It was a very enjoyable but competitive contest with St Athans lower handicap team overcoming the stiff challenge from Cradox and eventually winning the match 3-0.

The St Athan team that prevailed in the final were Geral Thomas, Ady Hawkins, Neil Taylor, Gerry Turnbull (captain), Steve Bacon and Gwyn Favell who were magnificently supported by the other sqaud members and Club supporters on the day and throughout the competition.

St Athan Golf Club is very proud of this fantastic achievement during the Golf Clubs 50th anniversary year and Gerry wish to thank the SWSC committee for their superb organisation and to all the teams we met along the way for their friendship and hospitality.