NGF Begins Integration of Nigerian Golfers into WHS

Olawale Ajimotokanin

The Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF) has set up the modality for the integration of Nigerian amateur golfers into the World Handicap System (WHS).

NGF President, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, disclosed this yesterday after the technical committee briefed the board in Abuja.

He described the process as an innovation in the history of golf in the country.

The NGF President said the software will score every amateur golfer such that a 28- handicapper will now know what is expected of him in an eight or 18-hole round of golf.

Runsewe said the custodian of golf, Royal and Ancient (R&A) had asked the NGF to choose 10 golf clubs to help with members to start the WHS exercise.

In compliance with the directive, he said NGF had done seven clubs across the country in the past two weeks while the remaining three- Port Harcourt, Enugu and Asaba were awaiting integration.

He said that Ikoyi, Kano and Ikeja that bypassed NGF by making direct contact with R &A regarding the process were referred back to the Nigerian federation.

“The Handicap system is the latest software in the whole world that will enable every Nigerian golfer to be licensed with his Handicap Document. I can assure you in the next two, three months, Nigeria will be fully integrated into the WHS system,” the NGF Boss said.

Runsewe, who is the DG National Council for Arts and Culture, said Nigerian club golfers that are captured on the system will have their handicap recognized on the software in any part of the world.

“About five countries in Africa have fully integrated into WHS and Nigeria has been waiting to key into it. By next week, we will send the Excel and other documents to R&A that has seen the level of seriousness from Nigeria.

“Every golfer will have his own index which can be linked up to his or her telephone number. This exercise will also eliminate all forms of cheating in golf”.

Apart from rating golf courses in the country, the WHS will also harp on the need for greens to comply with international best practices, particularly on their size which should be at least 400 metres square and above.