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| Sunday, 27 June 2004 |
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Straight talk by Lal Gunesekera RCGC must change attitude and give youngsters opportunity to play on Ridgeways! The "Catch them Young" programme started by the Sri Lanka Golf Union (SLGU) is gathering momentum and indications are that this sport will unearth quite a few juniors in the near future who will bring honour to the country. The name of Ana Punchihewa was once synonymous with Coco-Cola. He then shifted his interests to cricket and was President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) when the country won the World Cup under Arjuna Ranatunga, now a Deputy Minister in the UPFA government. Punchihewa is now back in the SLGU and involved in its administration in the capacity of "Consultant", and I know that he is capable of bringing golf right to the top in this country. He is helped in his endeavour by Dian Jayasuriya (President of SLGU) and Tiru Jesudasan (Sri Lanka's first professional golfer and ex-champion) who is involved in the junior programme of the SLGU. A similar programme is under way at the Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC) by Radha Sunderampillai. For the time being, the SLGU, are determined to get at least 6 to 8 schools in the vicinity of the RCGC, Nuwara-Eliya Golf Club and Victoria Golf Club interested in the sports. This is besides the "top" schools in the Colombo and Kandy districts. Nuwara-Eliya and Victoria have the facilities, but the RCGC "do not seem very keen" on youngsters "running around" the club house. This seems to be a major draw back for the SLGU who are dependent on the RCGC to give them permission and make use of facilities on Ridgeways even for the national poolists to practise. The RCGC must give serious thought and allow juniors and national poolists to play on the course when there is minimum use of the course by its members. The SLGU are looking into the prospects of having a Driving Range and a 6-hole course in certain areas, and there is an ideal location for a 18-hole course at "Perth Paradise", which is a BOI approved project, in Horana. Talking of courses, Singapore with 2500 square miles had about 40 courses about a decade back, but Sri Lanka, with 25,000 square miles have only three courses, though producing two Asian Games silver medallists, while Singapore can boast of numerous players on the APGA Tour. The SLGU are also determined to increase the number of junior tournaments and have at least one tournament for a month. It was through these junior programmes that players in the calibre of Anura Rohana and Lalith Kumara were discovered. The initial goal of the SLGU is to win a gold medal at the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar. They have formed three pools-national pool, junior national pool and what is termed as the Development Pool, who will train concurrently, but separately with players picked from all three clubs-RCGC, NEGC and Victoria. They (the SLGU) expect regular daily practices, physical training and even "mental focus" under Sri Lanka Manager, Dian Abeywardene, who has been appointed by the SLGU. Over the years, Sri Lanka, have produced some top players who have distinguished themselves overseas. They include the late maestro Pin Fernando (won Sri Lanka amateur title 10 times and twice the Indian amateur title), Nandasena Perera (Asian Games silver medallist, won Sri Lanka amateur three on occasions, Bangladesh amateur also those of India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Singapore), Anura Rohana (also an Asian Games silver medallist) who has won the Sri Lanka amateur title once, Bangladesh title thrice and also Pakistan and Malaysian titles before turning professional), Lalith Kumara (won India, Pakistan and Bangladesh amateur titles), Tiru Jesudasan (won the Sri Lanka women's amateur title on four occasions, Indian amateur also four times, as well as those in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong amateur titles before turning professional). Thuhashini Selvaratnam (Sri Lanka women's amateur title three times, and also amateur titles of India, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Philippines, Emirates and Bangladesh who is now doing very well in the USA as an amateur) and Neesha Nirmalingam (won the Indian amateur title once) Besides them, there is Pam Fernando (wife of the late Pin) and Thuhashini Selvaratnam who have their names included in the Guiness Book of World Records being the oldest and youngest respectively to win national golf titles. Golf is an industry, which can be an economic boost to Sri Lanka which has not been tapped by successive governments. Japan, South Korea and China are investing millions of dollars in golf, which is giving these countries the "return" too. Thailand seems to be the training centre for South Korea and Japan to develop their juniors as an alternate location to Thailand. Golf fiesta The RCGC celebrates its 125th anniversary with plenty of activities lined up for August with numerous dignitaries from overseas too expected to be present at the celebrations. Originally, it was named Colombo Golf, and situated at the Galle Face Green and inaugurated in March 1879 during the reign of Queen Victoria. It then shifted to its present location in 1896 which was in fact a model farm complete with livestock-hence its address, Model Farm Road. This was a 200- acre property owned by Sir Charles Henry de Soysa who gifted the land to the government to be used for agriculture and animal husbandry. It was named Alfred Farm, after Prince Alfred, son of Queen Victoria. The project never took off, and Governor Six West Ridgeway, who was a golf enthusiast himself, gave the property over to the Colombo Golf Club which was officially opened by the Governor on March 9, 1896. It received the "Royal Charter" in 1928. |
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