Mills returns to Wales from Dubai

Cennydd Mills has returned to Wales after spending the last three years in the United Arab Emirates where he achieved success both as a coach and player.

Mills, now 35, was persuaded to sample the Middle East by his brother who has been living there for ten years.  Now he has targeted a high finish in the PGA in England and Wales (South West) order of merit this summer.

“I am having a relaxing break after a hard winter’s coaching in Dubai,” he said. He is also forging a solo coaching career at Tee It Up golf simulator centre in Cardiff Bay, owned by PGA pro  Rob Johnson whose father Peter signed him to work at the nine-hole Ridgeway Golf Club he owned at Caerphilly six years ago.

He has competed on the PGA Europro Tour, Challenge Tour, Canadian Tour, Gateway Tour and the Celtic Pro Tour and featured strongly in the West before his departure. While at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club he won the UAE PGA order of merit and was lying second this year before he moved home.

He won five tournaments in the seven Emirates where 16 courses made up the playing circuit.

“The golf industry is booming there,” he said. “Three more courses are opening soon. The courses are always busy although it is not cheap to play. Costs approach £170 a round and £100 for a 50-minute lesson. It’s a very expensive place to live but there is no tax and salaries are high.

“Weekends are especially busy. I could work ten hours a day and give 15-20 lessons. It was very exhausting at times.”

As an amateur he represented Wales at under-18, youth and senior level. He won the Welsh Boys Strokeplay and Matchplay championships, the Irish youths in 2003, and was runner-up in both the Welsh Matchplay and Strokeplay championships. He played in the Welsh team in the Home Internationals for three years.

Mills started golf at Llantrisant and Pontyclun before moving on to The Vale where he played his main amateur golf. He was also attached to Machynys Peninsular and ended his initial Welsh pro career at Pyle and Kenfig.