BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
VETERAN Zimbabwe golf administrator and Alpha Media Holdings golf columnist Tavenganiswa Mabikacheche, who was best known for his tireless efforts to spread the game of golf to marginalised communities around the country, has died. He was 68.
Mabikacheche, who previously served as the Zimbabwe Golf Association (ZGA) president and president of the Manicaland Golf Union, passed away in the early hours of yesterday morning, to become the latest local sports personality to succumb to the deadly coronavirus.
An accomplished golf referee, administrator and development coach, Mabikacheche was also well known for his informative articles about the sport of golf during his time as a columnist for NewsDay and its sister paper The Standard a few years ago.
However, it is due to his work in golf development that he is best remembered for as he played a pivotal role in trying to spread golf around the country, a sport which has always been considered elite, to the masses.
Mabikacheche’s Rural and Urban Sports Promotion is credited for unearthing local professional golfer Biggy Chibvuri, who is now competing on the West African Golf Tour.
The programme was awarded the Best Golf Development Programme by ZGA, while Mabikacheche was also recognised by the organisers of the Annual National Sports Awards for promoting golf in all communities.
ZGA led the tributes to its former vice-president, describing him as a dedicated administrator who contributed immensely to local golf.
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“The Zimbabwe Golf Association has learnt with great sadness the passing away of its former vice-president Mr Tavenganiswa Mabikacheche. Mabikacheche contributed immensely to the sport of golf over the years he was in the association and still continued working for the sport even after he stepped down from the association,” the ZGA board said in a statement.
“Over the years he was very active in junior golf development, refereeing and setting up of the Zimbabwe Senior Professionals. Of particular mention is the Mabikacheche Rural and Urban Sport Foundation which worked in promoting the sport of golf in disadvantaged communities. This saw him conducting training lessons in remote areas such as Binga and Chikomba. The foundation was funded from his own pocket and the passion to spread the sport to disadvantaged communities.”
