Over 400 schoolchildren will be taught golf

by S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Corr.

GOLF:Over four hundred schoolchildren (both boys and girls) from government schools in the hill capital will be the beneficiaries of a long term plan to learn golf free of charge. The scheme will be undertaken by Victoria Golf and Country Resort in conjunction with the Sri Lanka Golf Union and will get under way at the picturesque Victoria golf course at Rajawella off Kandy.

The main drive of this programme which will be conducted free of charge, with all expenses including transport from the school to the golf course and back with light refreshments included has come from the Sri Lanka Golf Union who will be financing this project by courtesy the world governing body for golf - The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of Scotland. The General Manager of the Victoria Golf and Country Resort Australian born Errol Johnston said that schoolchildren will be put through paces by the golf coach of the club Sumith Nishantha and that experienced golfer Englishman Ian Tait. They will be taught the laws of the game and also the basics of the game.

This will be a wonderful opportunity for young golfers from poor homes to play the game. Golf was once regarding as the game of the affluent as the cost of playing the game is prohibitive for many as they could hardly afford the transport, membership fees, caddies fees, green fees, and entry fees etc. This programme is certain to break this barrier and take it to the under privileged who are only yearning to play. The Victoria Golf and Country Resort which started off as victoria Golf Club was opened for golf around 11 years ago on a 550 acre coconut plantation. When this project was undertaken in 1995 there were resident labourers living in line rooms and shanties in areas earmarked for the golf course in the coconut plantation.

Victoria Golf Club did not shirk its social responsibility by driving them away. Instead they improved the quality of life of these line room dwellers by constructing 200 cottage type houses with at least two bed rooms and also a 40-perch land each and re-settled them at a location not far away from the golf course. This cost the club a princely sum but improving the quality of life of these shanty dwellers was foremost in their minds.

General Manager Errol Johnston said seven government owned schools have be en selected for this golf training programme and they will be taken in batches on working days, four days a week. This will be a once in a life time chance for them to learn the game of golf and the complex laws. This programme will reach a very large area and at the end of it, over 400 school children would have learnt the game at no cost to them. There may be skilled children among them, who may continue their training and produce golfers for the country.

This training programme is co-ordinated by Manager Security of Victoria Anil de Silva and Marketing Executive Ms. Dhanushika Medagoda.