By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Sept. 3, 2022 (NAN) Stakeholders at the just concluded Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF) Summit say it is a new dawn for the game of golf in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the maiden three-day NGF Summit for Captains, which began on Wednesday, ended Friday in Abuja with no fewer than 70 golf clubs in the country taking part.
A cross section of stakeholders, who spoke to NAN at the end of the summit, said the event would usher in a new wave of development in the game of golf in Nigeria.
Ekanem Ekwueme, the only certified female World Handicap System (WHS) Course rater in Nigeria, said it was a new phase, adding that the WHS concept would change the perception of golf in Nigeria.
“It’s a new dawn in golf in Nigeria. I can assure you that golf is wearing a new face in the country.
“We just have to thank God for the president we have now in the NGF in the person of Olusegun Runsewe.
“We couldn’t have had it any better, seriously speaking, because it takes serious passion to execute what he is doing in the golf federation right now.
“I am speaking as someone who also has a passion for golf. I can tell you that he is doing a very good job and I don’t think we’ve ever had so many captains in one place like this before.
“This alone is a big feat and I must commend our president for putting this all-important summit together,” she said
Shina Akinyemi, the Vice Captain, Ikeja Golf Club reiterated that it was definitely a new dawn for golf, adding that the summit was an epoch making event.
“Infact, the issues that have been discussed here, primarily about growing the game, the WHS and quite alot of other technical issues have been quite apt.
“Even the mere fact that this is the first time that all the captains of all the different golf courses in the country are gathered in one place, just that synthesis of people of like minds, pursuing the same vision and the same goal, it simply tells you that golf in Nigeria cannot be the same again,” he said.
Akinyemi noted that he would be taking alot of things from the summit which he hopes would be adopted back at the Ikeja Golf club.
“The issues raised at the summit such as the bunker to course ratio, the size of the greens, the entire profile of the WHS and its adoption by golfers are the things I intend to take back home such that we sensitize our members so they are ready to adopt.
“We are indeed going to do great things and I give full credit to the organisers, the resource persons, and of course to the Governor of Plateau State, the Minister of Sports as well all other participants who took time to be here because of the importance of the summit,” he said.
He also welcomed everyone who wished to visit the Ikeja Golf Club, adding that he was proud of his club and glad that it was one of the first golf clubs in the country to have been qualified for the WHS ranking.
“The WHS itself is a standardization and anytime there is a standardization it can only bring improvement.
“We call ourselves the friendliest club in the world. We use to say in Africa, but I think we’ve gone beyond that now.
“Friendly in the sense that we are very welcoming to our guests and golfers from all over the world.
“Indeed the standard of our course and playing quality of the field is top notch,” he said.
Peter Igbi, a representative of Bonny Island Golf Club in Rivers State said the outcome of the Summit had given him so much hope about the great future of golf in Nigeria.
“I am really impressed with what I have seen here and it gives me alot of hope and enthusiasm also about the direction golf is going in Nigeria.
“Initially, I thought we were all operating in silos, that is; each golfing community did not really know what the other was doing.
“Also, when I look outside the country and see how organized it is out there, I used to wonder when we would get it right here.
“Nigeria has so many wonderful gifted golfers and keying into the WHS is one of the best things that will ever happen to us.
“We are definitely looking forward to getting rated and infact one of the key issues my captain said we should really address here is how we can get to key into the WHS.
“As a club, we have talked about it in committee and seen what the benefits are. So, we really look forward to being a part of it,” he said.
Igbi who represented the club captain Abubakar Husseini noted that Bonny Island Golf Club was at an emerging phase.
“Bonny Island Golf Club has come a long way. We are at an emerging phase.
“Although, we’ve been here for a long time, but I think the interest in the game has picked up alot more in the last few years and the numbers are growing tremendously because people have come to see and understand what the benefits of golf are.
“So, it is a thriving and a growing community in Bonny Island,” he said.
Bello Suleiman, the North East Zonal representative on the NGF Board, said the summit was a good initiative which has happened to the development of golf in the country.
“I think this is a good thing that has happened to golf development in Nigeria.
“I was in the former NGF Board as the vice-president and we did our best but weren’t able to achieve much in terms of what we are seeing today.
“You see all our captains, as well as other stakeholders,
coming together to cross fertilise ideas and chart a new course for the sport.
“Indeed, so many things were discussed and there are lots to take home,” he said.
Ogechi Osuagwu, Captain of Arsenal Golf and Country Club, said the summit would help golf’s growth in Nigeria.
“I think this is quite a very good one, having all captains come together to share ideas and to look at all the challenges they have and see how they can resolve and proffer solutions to them.
“I want to say that this will indeed help the growth of golf in the country and we also believe that as we leave here, we will get back to our respective clubs and pass the message to our members.
“We want to see how we can key into the new WHS concept once it takes full effect in Nigeria and move the game of golf forward in the country,” he said.
Ahmed Sabo, the Captain of Calabar Golf Club, said the summit was a commendable development which has gone a long way to show that NGF was really interested in coordinating the affairs of golf in Nigeria.
“Honestly, it is a wonderful development and worth commending.
“The NGF and the President have done marvelously well. You can imagine the turnout we recorded, especially this being the first-of-its-kind in the history of golf in Nigeria.
“The massive participation of the various club captains was proof that the NGF enjoys the full support of all stakeholders and will have no problem in coordinating the affairs of golf in the country,” he said.
He noted that the WHS was also a welcome development, adding that it would harmonise all the players’ handicap in the country and eliminate a lot of discrepancies in the game.
Anthony Oboh, Golf Captain, Ikoyi Club 1938, Lagos said: “It’s the synergy we are looking at as one tree cannot make a forest. Yes, we are numero uno because of our proximity, age and membership strength.
“But coming here has indeed shown me that there are other golf clubs beyond us. I am surprised that there are up to 70 golf captains that came here.
“Although some other golf clubs are not as big as we are, but the idea is for us to come together as one, synergise and move the game of golf in the country forward.
“However, it is not for only golfers but for the rest of the country because golf is a game for everybody and not for the elite alone,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
