Recently, a team from Living Golf, a magazine programme and flagship golf show of the Cable Network News (CNN), was in Nigeria to ferret information on the evolution and development of the game of golf in the country. The team, which included the programme's producer, Colin Hancock and the Lagos Correspondent of the outfit, Vladimir Duthiers, among others, after a multi-pronged tour of golf facilities in parts of the country, including Lagos, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, spoke to ENO-ABASI SUNDAY.Duthiers, who spoke on behalf of the Living Golf crew, shed light on their observations, prospects for the game and infrastructure, among others.AFTER a tour that took them round some cities in the country, the Living Golf team saw enough to conclude that Nigeria was a country immensely endowed with human and material resources.More than that, they also observed that, 'the calibre of professional golfers found in leading golfing nations was also present in the country.But according to them, the question is,who will develop them for Nigeria to take its rightful place in the golf world'Duthiers kicked off thus:'Because of the vast human endowment that Nigeria is blessed with, it is very important for the country to pay attention to golf as a sport, as well as strive to develop the athletic abilities of Nigerian youths. To do this, you need corporate sponsors, patrons and enthusiasts for the game of golf to take flight because government has a million things to worry about.'Generally speaking, governments around the world should not be relied upon to provide other than the basics for the people because when they try to do more, things don't always go right, even in the United States.'What the sport of golf needs in this country is corporate sponsors because that was the refrain I heard from all the pros that I talked to, and who reliably informed me that they don't have corporate sponsor. And in a country where I think there are so many challenges, golf does not necessarily appear on the radar of many people, and I think you need some help.'He continued: 'The game of golf in Nigeria is still in its infancy and this is because it is largely business executives, high net-worth individuals and maybe expatriates that play it. This has to do with the fact that golf is like an international business sport and those who have money and means are a very small percentage of the population.'Talking about developing golf in the country, he said this should not be misconstrued with trying to make an instant effort towards dislodging other powerhouses in the sport, but creating an environment for the finest talents, which have been spotted, to begin to bloom.In the course of their sojourn, Duthiers, who is the Lagos-based correspondent of the network, said: 'What we saw was a growing interest in the game beyond what it is already. Take for example the young girl that my colleague and producer of Living Golf, Colin Hancock, met in Britain during the Junior British Open, Anita Uwadia.'For Nigeria to have a young teenage girl (as a representative) in that championship was fantastic. And within the short time that I have been here, I can say that the interesting thing with Nigerians is that if you give them an opportunity, they will excel at anything that is put in front of them, all they need is opportunity. And Uwadia is a perfect example, but she has to be nurtured for her to realise her ambition.'So you can imagine if you could grow the game organically and train hundreds of young Anita Uwadias, who do not have to become professionals like what Anita is trying to do, but just becoming interested in the game, then a lot would have been achieved. So I would again say that the game is still in it's infancy, but there is interest beyond the one shown by people of mean.'He expressed shock that golf in the country was not enjoying sponsorship from the numerous multinational companies that dot the entire country, noting: 'I am really surprised with the number of multinationals doing business in Nigeria, including ExxonMobil, Chevron and Shell, but are not sponsoring golf when most of their company executives are golfers themselves.'Everywhere, including the U.S., it would be very hard to grow golf without corporate sponsors. Tiger Woods is a billionaire, not because he plays and wins golf all the time, but because people want to be associated with him, so they pay him to wear their watches and clothes among others.'I am not saying Nigerian companies necessarily need to get to that level, where they make the golfers wear their clothes but just having a tour or tournaments sponsored by a corporation or corporations in this country. The big telecommunications companies like Glo, MTN and Etisalat can do this with ease.'While urging Nigerian authorities to take a cue from what South Africa, the golf capital of the continent, has been able to achieve, he added: 'South Africa is not a wealthy country in the sense of abundant natural resources, but they have over 500 golf courses, so why them and not Nigeria, which is the ninth largest country and one of the biggest oil producing countries in the world.'I think it should get to the point that when the world talks about the continent of Africa, attention should be on Nigeria and not South Africa. It bothers me that a country this size, with this many people and with this much human and material resources, should not try to offer every opportunity that it can to it's people.'On his assessment of golf infrastructure in the country, Duthiers said:'The fact that the governor of Cross River State is building a golf course also added to our surprise and confirmed the fact that there is a growing golf culture in the country.'At CNN, we look for interesting stories that will make people wake up and take note and that is why Nigeria was chosen. One of the golf professionals that I spoke to in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, informed me that he did go to try and qualify to play in the PGA Golf Tour in the United States, but the greens there were very fast compared to what he is used to.'That sort of broke my heart because this is a talented guy, who knows what he is doing, but the courses he has been playing on are not just championship level courses. So this is a disincentive because he cannot do well against his peers, who have access to these facilities. So he is being penalised because he does no have great golf courses in his country.'That, I think, is unfortunate and some of them, after playing on crappy golf courses, may never get the feel of what it takes to play on a championship course. Even when they do, they will realise that because of the physics, the ball does not react the same way because the way he hits the ball, the amount of power he uses to hit it and the way he putts will change on a good quality golf course.'The golf world is still abuzz with the excitement of the return of golf to the Olympic Games effective 2016. Consequently, golf playing nations will throw in a lot to ensure that their flags are flown out there. Much as it would be Nigeria's pleasure to be counted among the ones that would be there, Duthiers said: 'It would be very hard for Nigeria to make it, especially from the way the qualification would be done.'We asked some of the pros that we met about playing at the Olympics, they feel good about the prospect, but they confessed that it was going to be very hard. So, part of the reason I think it would be hard for Nigerian golfers to qualify for the Olympics in 2016 is because they are not given the opportunity to play on good golf courses.'Another reason Olympic golf dream for Nigerian golfers may not come soon is the fact that some of them still play on browns playing surfaces. I never knew about browns before I came to Nigeria. You can't play on browns and expect to make it to the Olympics.'Be that as it may, Duthiers wants the Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF) to forge strategic partnership with relevant bodies and begin to prepare elaborately, in view of the state of the sport,if the country must be assured of a place in the golf event of the2016 summer Games.Early in the year, the International Management Group (IMG) General Manager Consultant at Le Meridien Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Akwa Ibom State, Sam Logan, extended the olive branch to the NGF, saying his firm was willing to assist in preparing Nigerian athletes for the golf event.'That would be a great opportunity. From what I have seen, you need sponsors and you need patrons for the game to take flight,' he said. 'So if the IMG is willing to give some help in this direction, then it is fantastic.'If there is to be a strategic partnership between NGF and firms like IMG, then it could bring through some very good results in the long run. Anywhere in the world, if there is an opportunity to develop a sport, it should be explored so as to give an opportunity to those who want to play the game to do so.'So if the Nigeria Olympic Committee can see beyond itself and come to terms with the fact that if you want to excel at the Olympics, you need to bring in some outside help, then it would help because that is the way to grow the sport in every part of the world.'Waiting for the government will never help because governments, both at the state and federal levels, have a million things to have to worry about. So when you go to them and say something about golf, I am sure a lot of them will tell you that they need to get the roads fixed, bring power 24/7.
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