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The Ashburnham Championship Links golf course in Pembrey has just been given a Top 10 ranking in a new guide to Britains best value courses.
National Club Golfer published its guide to the 100 most affordable courses in Britain.
And The Ashburnham was one of the highest ranked courses in Wales, finishing in sixth position.
Weve always known that The Ash is great value for money and this guide just reinforces that fact, said Ashburnham club manager Huw Morgan.
The guide focuses on the Top 100 courses with a green fee under 50.
Mr Morgan said: The Ashburnham is already universally recognised as an excellent course, playable all the year around.
But it is also great to get the recognition for being able to deliver value-for-money for golfers.
Last year, The Ash was featured in the National Club Golfer guide to Britains best courses under 80.
We were ranked No32 in that guide, said Mr Morgan.
The guide described The Ashburnham as follows
This is a links where the start and end do little justice to what lies between. Ashburnham is consistently excellent from the 3rd to the 15th inclusive . . . the 15th is a brilliant brute at 464 yards.
Dan Murphy, editor of National Club Golfer, said he wanted the magazine to put together guides which realistically reflected the fact that many golfers played to a budget.
Mr Murphy said the guides were an appraisal of the best Britain has to offer.
He added: In a bid to capture the spirit of this enterprise, the deliberately intangible criterion was as follows: If you were in charge of taking a group of like-minded golfers away on a trip, are you confident that they would have a memorable day for all the right reasons here?
The Ashburnham Golf Club will host a number of top events over the coming years
2012 Welsh Ladies Open Stroke Play Championships
2013 Mens Welsh Amateur Championships
2014 Ladies British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championships
2015 Mens Welsh Stroke Play Championships
Club manager Mr Morgan added: Thats quite a portfolio of events for us at The Ashburnham and we are delighted to be staging them. We can promise a true championship test for each event and the warmest of Welsh welcomes.
The Ashburnham is the course where the great Welshman and winning Ryder Cup Captain Dai Rees won the PGA title in 1959. It has long been regarded as one of the best links courses in Britain.
The Ashburnham takes its name from the 5th Earl of Ashburnham, who once owned the land and became the clubs inaugural President in 1894.
Two other Ryder Cup Captains have been successful in their playing careers at The Ashburnham in the shape of Bernard Gallacher, who won the Schweppes PGA Championship in 1969, and Sam Torrance, who won the Martini Tournament in 1976.
The Ashburnham has a proud history of hosting many of the major amateur tournaments, having first held a Welsh Amateur Championship in 1904.
Last year, The Ashburnham was the venue for the Mens Home Internationals.

Carmarthens leading theatre arts school is expanding to cope with demand.
Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen is launching a new afternoon school following the success of the morning classes.
Demand for places at Stagecoach is huge and there is a waiting list to get places, said Stagecoach Carmarthen principal Liane Davies.
We put the accent firmly on quality teaching here at Stagecoach and we limit class numbers to 15 pupils per class.
That philosophy of making sure that the quality of teaching is at the highest level does, of course, mean that we cannot always accommodate everyone.
But we are going our best to expand our services and that is why we are going to launch afternoon classes at Stagecoach Carmarthen at the start of the new term in April.
The classes will be for the six to 18-year-olds age group and will run from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. We already have morning classes between 10am and 1pm.
Hopefully, this will open the door for some pupils who have other interests. For example, those who do swimming or rugby or football on a Saturday morning, will now be able to attend in the afternoon.
The pupils play a major part in the success of Stagecoach Carmarthen and we want to do all we can to accommodate them.
Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen has its base at the Model Church in Wales School.
The school opened in May 2009 and became an instant success. The school now attracts students from the three counties of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.
In recent years, Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen has staged the musicals Billy Elliot and Oliver. Pupils joining the new classes will be able to take part in the July production of Annie at the Lyric Theatre in Carmarthen.
Principal Liane added: Our aim is always to nurture and develop four to 18-year-olds to fulfil their potential through dance, drama and singing.
If you want to find out more about Stagecoach Carmarthen, contact Principal Liane Davies, phone: 0845 604 1422. Email - carmarthen@stagecoach.co.uk.
Website - http://www.stagecoach.co.uk/carmarthen

Popular Carmarthen comedy entertainer Phil Doyle will be staging a fund-raising evening at the Carmarthen Town AFC clubhouse and community centre on Saturday, May 26.
The show starts at 7pm. Tickets are 12 per person, including buffet.
Phil has appeared on many TV shows including New Comedians and Talking Telephone Numbers.
Phil has won the Jersey Variety Club Award for Best Comedian for three years running.
Phil will be supported by the talented young vocalist Natasha Doyle.
To book: Telephone, Allan, 07976 973693, or Jeff, 07813 697774.
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The Carmarthen Town AFC 2012 Sportsmans Dinner will be held at the The Ivy Bush Royal Hotel on Friday 18th May.
BBC TV pundit Steve Claridge will be the guest speaker.
Steve is one of a very select few players who have amassed 1000 career appearances. He scored more than 250 goals during a 22 year career that saw him playing for more than 20 clubs.
Steve is a high profile after dinner speaker with humorous stories about his on and off field trials and tribulations of a 20 year football career, his gambling addictions and the roller coaster ride that is his life.
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Events planned for the clubhouse and community centre at Richmond Park include the following
Public meeting, Monday, February 20.
Horse Racing Night, Friday, April 13.
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Carmarthen Town supporters and friends of the club are reminded that donations are still being collected in memory of club stalwart Nigel Williams.
Mr Williams was a former treasurer of the club and a director of the Carmarthen Town AFC company.
Donations in memory of Mr Williams are going towards the Carmarthen Town Community Programme. If you would like to contribute, please send donations c/o Jeff Thomas 55 Bronwydd Road, Carmarthen, SA31 2AP.
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Carmarthen Town fixtures
February 25, 2:30pm, away at Airbus UK Broughton in the quarter-final of the Welsh Cup.
March
Friday, March 2, 7:30pm, away at Afan Lido, WPL
Friday, March 9, 7:30pm, home to Port Talbot Town, WPL
Saturday, March 17, 2:30pm, home to Newtown AFC, WPL
Saturday, March 24, 2:30pm, home to Aberystwyth Town, WPL
April
Saturday, April 7, 2:30pm, away at Airbus UK Broughton, WPL
Saturday, April 14, 2:30pm, home to Afan Lido, WPL
Saturday, April 21, 2:30pm, away at Port Talbot Town, WPL
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Tote: February 14 draw Winning numbers, 43 and 48. There were no winners of the prize of 400. The draw for a prize of 500 (prize to go) was being made on Tuesday night.

Top names from the fashion and creative industries will combine their talents to bring a stunning evening of entertainment in aid of charity to Swansea on Saturday March 10.
The sparkling event, which is hosted at The City Temple, Dyfatty Street, at 7pm, will see the auditorium transformed into a catwalk as models showcase the latest collections from Next, Warehouse, Toms and high end independent boutiques Samantha K, Rhapsody, Nanettes plus others.
Event organiser Emma Anyadike says, For the price of a 5 ticket you will be treated to a show of sumptuous clothes, speak directly to fashion advisors who will be able to give you tips on dressing your best, order the clothes you have seen as well as accessories such as jewellery, scarves, bags and ethically sourced gifts.
Swansea radio presenter Kev Johns, above, will host the event which will include a live music set from the recording artist Mal Pope, below.

A quiz night is being held at The Ashburnham Golf Club on Friday, March 9. Teams of four. Tickets 6.50 per person to include ham and chips. Food served at 7pm, quiz to follow. Prize for winning team. Proceeds to the Ashburnham Centenary Fund.

An evening with Maureen Madill, the BBC golf commentator, is being planned at the Ashburnham Golf Club in Pembrey later this year.
The event will form part of the Ladies Centenary Dinner at 'The Ash' on Friday, October 12 (7 for 7.30pm).
There will be canapes on arrival, following by a four course dinner, coffee and mints.
Tickets are available from -

Melin Consultants, the fast-growing South Wales firm of environment and sustainability experts, will be in the spotlight at a top construction industry networking event on Thursday (February 23).
The Llanelli-based company will be the showcase business at The Last Thursday club meeting at the Novotel Hotel in Cardiff (12.30pm).
The Last Thursday Club is always a very popular networking event for the construction industry and regular pulls in crowds of 100-plus, said Leanne Maunder, the administrator for the club.
We get businesses attending from all over South Wales and some from over the border in Bristol so it is always a very worthwhile get-together for all concerned.
We are always keen to welcome new members, particularly those from West Wales.
The networking club meets on the last Thursday of every month, except for July, August and December.
Melin director Jamie Best said he was looking forward to the networking meeting.
He said: We offer specialist technical services which are earning us a great reputation here in West Wales, but we are starting to make our mark in Cardiff and further afield as we have just opened a new office in Bristol.
We specialise in all the things which people value in the construction industry today getting environmental issues right and making sure buildings are as sustainable as possible, said Mr Best.
Its an exciting time for the building and construction industry with everyone appreciating the value of getting it right first time in terms of energy savings and sustainability.
We are right up there in the vanguard when it comes to technical expertise in this area. Were probably not on the radar as far as members of the public are concerned, but our name and reputation is growing day by day.
The company has recently relocated its HQ from Tycroes, near Ammanford, to Llys Aur on the Llanelli Gate business park at Dafen, Llanelli. Today, the business has eight employees.
Weblinks:
http://www.melinconsultants.co.uk
http://www.last-thursdayclub.co.uk/
Twitter: @melinconsult
Facebook: Melin Consultants Ltd
LinkedIn: Melin Consultants

Photo: Jamie Best, director of Melin Consultants

Melin Energy Consultants has been providing SAP & SBEM calculations for local authorities, architects, builders & developers over a number of years.
All Melin technicians have a wealth of experience in dealing with individual requirements.
The company motto is "10% calculation 90% solution".
As a building consultancy specialising in Part L of the Building Regulations and environmental assessing of new buildings, Melin technicians are qualified and accredited to issue certification in all the following fields BREEAM, Code for Sustainable Homes, EPC, SBEM, SAP, air-tightness testing.
Contact details: Melin, Llys Aur, Llanelli Gate, Dafen, Llanelli, SA14 8LQ

Llanelli-based sustainable building consultant Jamie Best will be one of the key speakers at a Constructing Excellence Wales event being held in Aberystwyth on Thursday night (February 23).
Mr Best, director of Melin Consultants, will be speaking on energy reduction in new buildings at the Aberystwyth University event which explains the overall requirements of BREEAM 2011, the benchmark by which all new public-funded buildings are measured.
It sounds very technical, Mr Best admitted, but the assessment method BREEAM is now a requirement under planning legislation in Wales and impacts on all new buildings over 1000 square metres.
Its a real brain-storming event to help everyone target sustainability standards of excellence in the construction industry in Wales.
For example, it will explain how architects and other designers can get buildings to perform better in terms of their energy use.
We want to make sure that the performance of buildings is fully maximised when they are occupied.
Mr Best said the buzzwords in the construction industry today were all focussed on the environment and sustainability but unfortunately green wash tends to give the wrong image to people.
Cutting-edge technologies and skills are being used today to enhance buildings and make sure that they are as environmentally efficient and as sustainable as possible. However, there are two other strands to sustainability, these being economic and social, which are often overlooked.
At Melin Consultants, we offer specialist technical services that cover all aspects of sustainable construction which are earning us a great reputation here in West Wales and further afield. In fact, we have just opened a new office in Bristol.
We specialise in all the things which people value in the construction industry today including getting sustainability issues right. Its an exciting time for the building and construction industry with everyone appreciating the value of getting it right first time in terms of energy savings and sustainability.
We are right up there in the vanguard when it comes to technical expertise in this area.
The company has recently relocated its HQ from Tycroes, near Ammanford, to Llys Aur on the Llanelli Gate business park at Dafen, Llanelli. Today, the business has eight employees.
Weblinks:
http://www.melinconsultants.co.uk
http://www.cewales.org.uk/2012/02/breeam-new-construction-2011-explained-aberystwyth/
Twitter: @melinconsult
Facebook: Melin Consultants Ltd
LinkedIn: Melin Consultants
Seminar details
23rd February 2012 Title:Fforwm BREEAM New Construction 2011 Explained
Date: Thursday 23rd February 2012
Location: Aberystwyth University. Time: 5.30pm registration for a 6pm start. Cost: Free.
The BREEAM 2011 version replaced BREEAM 2008 as the current version for new building assessment registrations and certifications from July 2011.
The seminar by Fforwm BREEAM, in association with Wales Low/Zero Carbon Hub, will explain the process of BREEAM 2011 assessments and certification, highlighting the updated targets and process requirements against BREEAM 2008.
All interested parties are invited to attend this event, including assessors, clients, contractors, design team professionals as well as local authority officers. This is the third of four planned events around Wales covering this issue, future dates and venues to be confirmed
How to Book: Please email: cewalesevents@cewales.org.uk stating your full contact details and the names of all delegates wishing to attend.
Constructing Excellence in Wales
Constructing Excellence in Wales promotes best practice and knowledge across the Welsh construction industry. Constructing Excellence in Wales (CEW) works with all parts of the industry from Welsh Government, local government and health authorities, through to developers, construction firms and SMEs to promote best practice.
CEW supports individuals, companies, organisations and supply chains to improve the way they do business via a range of services. Projects and plans are geared towards raising awareness, gaining commitment, supporting action and sharing information. It is all about doing things as a team and giving Wales a better built environment. CEW is an independent organisation, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and collaborating with the Constructing Excellence operation in the rest of the UK.
About BREEAM
BREEAM is the worlds foremost environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings. BREEAM sets the standard for best practice in sustainable building design, construction and operation and has become one of the most comprehensive and widely recognised measures of a buildings environmental performance.
A BREEAM assessment uses recognised measures of performance, which are set against established benchmarks, to evaluate a buildings specification, design, construction and use. The measures used represent a broad range of categories and criteria from energy to ecology. They include aspects related to energy and water use, the internal environment (health and well-being), pollution, transport, materials, waste, ecology and management processes.

About Melin
Melin Consultants has been providing SAP & SBEM calculations for local authorities, architects, builders & developers over a number of years.
All Melin technicians have a wealth of experience in dealing with individual requirements.
The company motto is "10% calculation 90% solution".
As a building consultancy specialising in Part L of the Building Regulations and environmental assessing of new buildings, Melin technicians are qualified and accredited to issue certification in all the following fields BREEAM, Code for Sustainable Homes, EPC, SBEM, SAP, air-tightness testing.
Contact details: Melin, Llys Aur, Llanelli Gate, Dafen, Llanelli, SA14 8LQ

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Reprinted with permission from David Western's blog , all material 2012, David Western --

This week I have donated a spoon to one of my favourite North American Welsh societies.

Although I rarely donate spoons anymore due to a couple of bad experiences, I always really enjoy creating a spoon for the West Coast Eisteddfod and like to be as helpful as I can to those members of the Welsh community in North America who are trying to boost the Welsh presence on the continent! Since we are usually the wallflower cousin in the corner who everyone ignores while they party with our more flamboyant Irish and Scottish brethren, it is a treat to see an organization like the Chicago Tafia come along and wave the flag for 'Cool Cymru'!

This Sunday Feb. 26, the Tafia will be hosting a big knees up at the Red Lion in Chicago and will be hosting a raffle and silent auction to raise money for further Tafia activities. I hope that they draw lots of Welsh from the Chicago region to support them, but I also urge any Welsh readers of this blog to visit the Tafia website and email in a bid for this lovely Celtic style lovespoon! You can find them at: chicagotafia.com

Drop David Parry a line and tell him you'd love to scoop this spoon out from under their noses and here's your bid!!

You may be the lucky winner of an elegant lovespoon and David will get financial support in his efforts to promote Welsh culture in the Windy City! Its win/win!!

The spoon itself is a double-sided Celtic knot with a nice asymmetric (is that how you spell it... it is now) bowl. It's cut from a lovely piece of birch and is polished with an oil finish, followed by two coats of beeswax. As with all quality lovespoons, a lot of time, patience, care and effort has gone into carving it and the winning bidder will be rewarded with a lovespoon that will bring a lifetime of pleasure!

Check out The Chicago Tafia today and bid on this spoon!!! chicagotafia.com