Cardiff Golf Club 100
Cardiff Golf Club Professionals
In that year Bill Smalldon, who had been professsional at Morriston G.C., took over at Cardiff as professional and course manager at the wage of £2.10s per week
The first Club professional was Robert Walker, who had previously served in that capacity at Southerndown G.C. He was charged, with others, with the responsibility of laying out the golf course. He left to take up a position at Glamorganshire G.C. in 1928.
It would appear that, at about the time of the changeover in 1928, Walker and Smalldon played an exhibition match at Cardiff with the great Gene Sarazen and Australian professional Joseph Henry Kirkwood.
Robert Walker, Bill Smadon, Gene Sarazen, Joseph Kirkwood
For a long period Bill and his wife also acted as club steward and stewardess. Bill gave outstanding service to the club both on and off the course until his death in 1973. He was held in very high esteem by golfers throughout South Wales.
Peter Johnson joined Bill as assistant in 1967 and became the club professional on Bill's death. Peter left the club in 1989.
Bill's son, Dennis Smalldon, joined his father as assistant professional and was establishing himself on the professional tournament scene, when he was tragically killed in a car accident on his way to a competition in 1959.
Bill and Peter
Terry Hanson, formerly of Royal Jersey G.C., became professional at Cardiff G.C. in 1989. He left in 2012 for a golfing career in the U.S.
Adam Constable, our Head Professional, first joined Cardiff Golf Club in 1996 as a junior member. He developed to represent both Glamorgan and Wales at under 18 Level. In 1999 he joined the professional staff and started a 3 year foundation degree programme with the support of the Club. In 2002 he became a fully qualified member of the PGA and in 2004 started playing full time winning the Welsh Young Professionals Championship in 2006 and 2007 and the British Power Play Championship in 2008. His most memorable playing achievement to date was playing in the Welsh Professionals Championship here at Cardiff where he shot the current course record of 62.
Chris O’Neill joined Adam as an assistant in 2016, and took over as Head Professional in 2023. Having taken golf up at the age of 10, Chris developed his skills and represented Glamorgan County for over 10 years. Chris achieved a handicap of Plus 2, won the County Championship in 2007, became BUCS Individual Champion in 2011 before embarking into the Professional ranks. Since then Chris has amassed several wins but also has become a very keen golf coach. Chris now spends a lot of his time helping the members of Cardiff Golf Club with their golf games.