Green shoots tee off
Singapore's golfing community is reaching out to younger players, even children, to keep the sport from phasing out. The fight for more young blood has never been more urgent.
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AT the Sentosa Golf Club one afternoon in March, children are being both seen and heard. As my buggy rolls up to a youth invitational event held by the Singapore Golf Association (SGA), a group of junior golfers are trying out for the youth squad. On the sidelines, parents and coaches cheer them on, high-fiving the pint-sized golfers when their balls sink into the cup. Against the vast expanse of green, the occasional peacock strides past the young golfers who are waiting their turn to putt. The invitational is for two categories - children aged 11 years and below, as well as those aged 12-14 years. SGA president Ross Tan, an avid golfer for the past 20 years, explains that there is a lack of regular competitions for juniors, particularly for those under 11. This invitational is part of the effort to remedy the situation.
Nothing will keep the game alive as much as competitions will, Mr Tan reckons. In the long run, he believes this will also increase the vibrancy of the golfing industry as a whole.
Following the invitational, some 20 boys and 20 girls will attend the scouting camp at Sentosa Golf Club in mid-June. From there, the SGA Junior Squad comprising 12 boys and 12 girls will be named. The association will also continue to recruit talented young golfers throughout the year, and has also organised four more tournaments in the next couple of months.
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