Shot in the arm for BGU

NELSON DIRENG
Correspondent | Thursday August 12, 2010 00:00

BOHGA gave BGU P10,000 while Ethnic Investments donated 72 golf clubs and bags worth about P30,000 during a ceremony held at the Gaborone Golf Club (GGC) this week.

BGU president, Andrew Hall said the equipment and cash would go a long way in assisting them to implement the development programmes, particularly the juniors. BGU embarked on its first phase of junior development in 2002 with  185 players - 108 boys and 77 girls - and 12 trainers under a programme sponsored by the First National Bank (FNB). The first phase ended in 2007. Hall said that although 185 juniors were introduced to golf, none have become regular players or members of clubs. 'We are therefore beginning the second phase of the junior development programme. The programme has been structured in a way that will cover all aspects of development, from junior to professional level,' he said.

The programme places emphasis on increasing junior participation by introducing golf to 50 government schools and 500 children annually. Of the 500, 200 should be girls. The BGU wants to establish long-term development programmes that will produce professional golfers.

BOHGA secretary general, Miles Nan said they will continue support for the BGU. He said that it is necessary for local organisations to support sports development. 'We have been here since 1999 and because we feel like Batswana now, we decided to do something for the country,' he said. Ethnic Investments sales and marketing manager, Thabo Chamme said his company is impressed with BGU's development programmes.

BGU vice-president (south), Ben Tobedza said it will be impossible to achieve their mandate if they do not have funds. He applauded BOHGA and Ethnic Investments for their donation and urged other companies to help in golf development.

'We hope that former sponsors, who left because of the global recession,   would come back to continue the good work they were doing,' he said.