Golfers from the Ndlambe region descended on the Alexandria Golf Course on Saturday to participate in an American Scramble competition with a shotgun start to raise funds for the Nanaga Farm School. The school a half an hour’s drive away from Alexandria which accommodates pupils from Zuny, Colchester and Paterson are raising funds for painting and general maintenance of the building.
The shotgun start meant that all players teed off at the same time that meant all participants could finish off the day’s event at the same time.
Bay Golfing Academy run by PGA coach Nick Bakker and his business partner Thaakirah Bickoo who are based at the Walmer Golf Course in Gqeberha were on hand to introduce youngsters to the game of golf before proceedings hit off.
“We are very happy that so many came to the introduction of golf morning because that is our future,” said the school’s fund-raising team member Yvonne du Preez.
She said the school’s repairwork was often undertaken by prents but funds were needed to ensure the school maintained a conducive learning environment.
Bakker said the response was very good for the introduction to golf programme and he had had a lot of feedback from parents who wanted youngsters to take up the game of golf. He said development was an ongoing programme in the Eastern Cape and that EP Golf was bringing on board many PGA coaches to mobilise it further.
Bickoo who is a PGA associate said she was particularly focused on recruiting women golfers and acts as an ambassador for attracting both boys and girls to the sport.
“We take them out on the course and keep up to date with the challenges women still face on the golf course today.”
- This article was first published in Talk of the Town, September , . The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.