How Ibadan Golf Club Plan To Promote Golf Competitions In Nigerian Schools’ Sports

The Ibadan Golf Club is concerned about the poor popularity and patronage of the Golf game in Nigeria and even around the world, particularly among the young ones as compared to the round leather game (football).

To change this narration, the Ibadan Golf Club (IGC) under the new captainship of Retired Colonel Ade Sunmonu who recently took over the mantle of leadership of the Club from Olumide Oyediran, said he is going to introduce golf game competitions in schools in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reporter, Akeem Abas, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

According to Sunmonu, the Club (IGC) will roll out the strategy to attain this vision by engaging stakeholders, including governments, school administrators, student union government, Federal and States’ Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education, National Sports Commission and the State Sports Council in order to make the dream a reality.

Majority of Golfers at the SPORT.NETBET.NG in Nigeria believe that the Golf game in Nigeria is not getting the type of popularity and patronage it deserves to live to its potential as an alternative sport to football and other sports.

The Goffers believed that more action is needed to get the golf game to his full potential. Meanwhile, the inaugural golf kitty to usher in Captain Sunmonu and other members of the club executives would hold on Saturday at the IGC ‘s Golf Course in Ibadan.

To attain this lofty ambition of the Ibadan Golf Club, Comrade Sunmonu state that:
• “I assure you that I will give my best and continue the good work of my predecessor, having served as his deputy.”
• “I have understudied Oyediran and it is my plan to establish the blueprint for the club, at least a five to 10 years developmental plan.”
• “Our plan is to serve the interest of members of the club well. We will ensure our greens are properly handled to be one of the best in the country.”
• “This is the simplest thing for any leader because every organisation has its rules and regulations clearly stated and which must be followed.”
• “No fewer than 200 golfers across the country were expected to participate in the one-day kitty.”
• “All logistics to make the tournament worthwhile had been put in place.”

History of the Golf Game

According to Wikipedia, “the modern game of golf is believed to have started in the fifteenth century in Scotland, the game’s history and origins reports are unclear and much debated.

The historians said the sport started far back from the Roman game of paganica, in which participants used a bent stick to hit a stuffed leather ball.

Other historian believed that paganica spread throughout Europe as the Romans conquered most of the continent, during the first century BC, and eventually developed into the modern game.

Historian claims that chuiwan (“Chui” means striking and “wan” means small ball) as the progenitor, a Chinese game played between the 8th and 14th centuries.

A Ming Dynasty scroll going back to 1368 entitled “The Autumn Banquet” demonstrates an individual from the Chinese Imperial court swinging what seems, by all accounts, to be a golf club at a little ball with the point of sinking it into an opening.

The diversion is thought to have been brought into Europe amid the Middle Ages. Another early amusement that looked like present-day golf was known as cambuca in England and Chambot in France.[6] The Persian diversion chaugán is another conceivable antiquated birthplace.

Moreover, Kolven (an amusement including a ball and bent bats) was played every year in Loenen, Netherlands, starting in 1297, to remember the catch of the professional killer of Floris V, a year sooner.”

Golf was presented as an Olympic game without precedent for the 1900 Summer Olympics and stayed on the program until it was expelled from the rundown of discretionary games amid the seventh IOC Session in Lausanne in 1921. On 9 October 2009, the IOC reestablished their last vote and golf was formally made as an occasion for the 2016 Summer Olympics, featuring the men and women’s individual tournaments.

Why Golf Games in Nigerian Schools?

According to Mr. Sunmonu, Golf games have many benefits such as increasing individual mental well-being, it is an opportunity for a social event and networking. Playing golf reduces stress and anxiety.

It is easy to learn how to play golf as compared to other games with a fast learning curve and it is impossible to master which makes it interesting every day. Golf games also help fans and players to maintain mental alertness and wellbeing of their physical fitness.

On the other hand, people who want to lose weight can adopt daily or weekly golf playing competition. Professional Golfers makes some decent monies in Golf games.