Runsewe Urges Golfers to Brace up for the New Order in Golf
The President of Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, has called on golfers in the country to brace up for the new world order in the game.
The NGF President who also doubles at the Director General for the National Council for Arts and Culture gave the advice at the closing ceremony of the 14th edition of the PGA of Nigeria Qualifying School final examination which held at the Python Golf Club in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Runsewe who was excited by the progress made by the PGA so far, urged the body to initiate training programmes that will move golfers in the country beyond ‘playing tours’.
He insisted that Nigerian golfers need to acquire skill sets that will enable them
function in other areas such as coaching, managing golf courses, or in the technical departments and other arms of the game.
“Being a professional golfer is not all about playing tournaments. The new world order in the game of golf is also about acquiring skills to enable someone function in other areas like coaching, managing golf courses, working in the technical departments and any other arms of the game,” observed the NGF President.
While commending the newly qualified professional golfers, Runsewe pledged that his federation was going to collaborate with the PGA in ensuring that Nigerian golfers are updated on the new world order.
“Golf is life and a very lucrative sport business which can drive tourism more than football for a nation that is serious about it. That is what we’re set to do with the present PGA of Nigeria,” he enthused.
He stressed that this was what he set out to achieve when on assumption of office for a second term, he had to organize the first-ever golf summit in Abuja to chart way in that direction.
The Executive Director of the PGA of Nigeria, Dr Tony Philmoore, corroborated the NGF President and noted that the training programme was a welcome development which will take off in no distant time.
The Executive Director who eulogized the NGF’s President’s efforts in golf development said: “Runsewe’s contributions in golf development cannot be overemphasized.
“The training will be a six-month programme – it’s a “Pro Staff” training and graduates will be certified. We are also liaising with universities for the (diploma) programme to give it a high level of credibility,” concludes the PGA director.
He however was quick to hint that in line with International best practices, “graduates of the Programme can only be assistant coaches as only the professionals can be head coaches.”
