AFRICA Golf Confederation (AGC) vice-president Obed Dube has called on African countries to invest in junior golf development programmes if the continent is to produce quality players capable of competing at the highest level of professional golf.
DANIEL NHAKANISO IN KITWE, ZAMBIA
South Africa has managed to produce a host of professional golfers who have gone on to play on the PGA, European and Asian Tours, while Zimbabwe’s Brendon de Jonge is the only other African on the money-spinning PGA Tour.
Speaking ahead of the start of the inaugural AGC Presidents Cup at Nkana Golf Club here in Kitwe yesterday, Dube said there was need for the rest of Africa to produce to invest in the juniors if the continent was to produce the next golf champion.
“The rest of Africa is currently starved of golf champions, as all the top professionals are congested in South Africa, while Zimbabwe is the only other African country with a player on the PGA Tour,” Dube said.
“We need to see players coming from other African countries and breaking into these top professional tours. South Africa has managed to produce such a high number of quality players because of a strong junior golf policy.”
The former Zimbabwe Golf Association president said the continental body was aiming to partner other national golf associations in setting up junior golf structures on the continent.
“As Africa Golf Confederation, there are a lot of programmes that we will be implementing which we will see us working closely with all African countries that are in need of setting up junior golf programmes so that we can develop golf right from the juniors so that there is continuity in identifying, nurturing and developing talented players.
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“However, a lot of these programmes will not bear at fruit if we don’t get any support from the corporate world. On behalf of AGC, I would like to thank all the sponsors who have supported the Africa Golf Confederation Presidents Cup and we look forward to support from other corporates on our junior golf development programs,” he said.
Dube was speaking ahead of the start of tomorrow’s tees off for the inaugural Africa Golf Confederation Presidents Cup which is aimed at exposing young Africa golfers to competitive competition.
Tournament director Aloysius Phiri said all was in place for the tournament, adding that the refurbished Nkana Golf Club was in mint condition to host the event.
Ten African countries are expected to take part in the tournament which will be played on a strokeplay format where the best three scores will count towards the team’s gross total Zimbabwe is being represented by the quartet of Thembelani Vundla, Tonderai Masunga, Robson Chinhoi and Visitor Mapwanya.
