A programe to find the young talented golfers from the grass root level conducted by the Sri Lanka Golf Union with the assistance from world renown sponsor for Golf HSBC will be held from August 1-5 prior to the commencement of the first ever international Junior Golf Tourney is to take place at four different locations round the island.
The organizers have named this programme as the ‘HSBC Future Lions’ Golf Grass Root Programme’ as it is one of HSBS’s main Sporting event that will be taken to develop future golfers for the country.
This programme is open to all kids between the ages 8 – 13 years who are keen to learn the game Golf. Parents interested in getting their kids registered for this programme are requested to contact Duminda on 0714-327343 at the Sri Lanka Golf Union. They have the option of selecting
the venue according to their convenience. The locations are Aqua Golf Driving Range (Welisara, Colombo), Kandy and Nuwara Eliya.
Tharanga Gunasekera, Head of Marketing and Communications – HSBC stated, “As a global supporter of golf, we are extremely happy to have partnered with the Sri Lanka Golf Union to introduce a structured event in our endeavor to promote the game to kids in Sri Lanka. We will also look to support them in continuing the game and one day represent Sri Lanka as a junior Golfers internationally. We welcome our clients and all Sri Lankans who are interested in getting their children enrolled, to sign them up at any of the four locations across Sri Lanka.”
The grass root programme will be conducted at the newest and only golf course in Anuradhapura, the Eagles’ Heritage Golf Club which is a 9 hole course and offers an 18 hole experience with different angles of tee and unique round of golf for a under par of 70.
A spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Air Force commented, “We are keen to develop the game in the country and through this programme we hope to tap the budding talent of young kids. This is indeed a unique opportunity for kids in rural areas of the country to be able to experience Golf with the available courses. We hope kids will be able to realize their potential through this programme and craft a new skill in Golf.”
In Kandy the programme will be conducted at the picturesque Victoria Golf and Country Club. Lallith Ramanayake, stated “We will be covering a fairly large area in Kandy and approach schools in and around the Digana area, including leading schools in Kandy where kids are keen to learn Golf.”He further mentioned that “Golf is all about hand and eye co-ordination. It’s also the ability and mental and physical strength that need to get built up as kids grow older. The golf swing has to be groomed at a very young age and that is why you need to catch them young. That is why the HSBC Future Lions grass root programme is going to be a fantastic programme.”
Anil Perera, a Class ‘A’ Professional from the PGTCA of America who will be in charge of the grass root roll out said, “Our aim is to try and condition kids who have never played golf before to try and understand it through visuals that demonstrate the ‘Key Concepts’ that is grip, stance, posture and swing. There will also be a golf video shown and we are going to play a hole with instructors who are scratch golfers.
While HSBC has come forward to initiate this unique programme, it will be up to the individual golf course to follow up with the continuity. Meanwhile the Sri Lanka Golf Union too will provide help in every way to see these programs are continued from this point.
The very unique Navy Aqua Golf driving range in Welisara where water takes the role of greens will also conduct the HSBC Future Lions programme for interested kids in and around Colombo. Commodore, Rohan Lelwala said, “Golf is perceived to be an expensive game and it is somewhat difficult to continue it without proper facilities. The Commander of the Navy has agreed to give their fullest support to conduct this programme at Welisara.
President of the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club, Major Gen Srinath Rajapakse stated, “Our vision is to produce national level junior golfers to compete in the Asian circuit. At present we conduct a two day weekly programme with nearly 200 school children and among them is a junior golfer who has already being selected to participate in Vietnam. We hope that the Nuwara Eliya Golf Course which is the oldest and centrally situated in this beautiful city, will help pave the way for more local school children to move up to the national level and hopefully the international level in the future.”
Firaz Hameed, Captain of the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club said, “We are delighted to know that HSBC has come forward to help junior golf in Sri Lanka and we are fully supportive of this initiative. We see tremendous potential with the kids in Nuwara Eliya judging by the NEGC Junior Academy which began in 2014 with just six kids that has grown successfully with 220 children being enrolled to date”.
Chairperson of the Junior Sub Committee, Sri Lanka Golf Union, Niloo Jayatilake added, “It is indeed heartwarming to have had the unstinting support from all those who responded so spontaneously to promote at grass root level, a game in which Sri Lanka has the potential to one day perform on the global arena. There now is a structure in place to unearth new talent and to truly develop and broad base the sport.
The talent search in particular will no doubt take more than a few years to reap its full potential, but I am confident that judging by the overwhelming response received this year, the SLGU will have no difficulty in continuing with this format in the years to come.”