Sri Lanka Golf: HSBC Future Lions in Kandy
View(s):The Sri Lanka Golf Union (SLGU) continued its drive to take golf to schools after launching its Future Lions Grass Roots programme with HSBC in August this year.
Having started off at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club, where the members decided to set up a formal Junior Golf Academy and then with the assistance of the Defence Services, initiated a programme for schools in Anuradhapura and Killinochchi.
This was followed by another programme at Welisara for school children in Colombo and Welisara, the SLGU also conducted a training programme to certify five more Golf Trainers at Level 2 to cope with the demand and tremendous enthusiasm being shown by all the kids and their parents.
“The opportunity to learn golf is now being sought actively by the parents as well,” said Anil Perera, SLGU’s Golf Development Consultant and a Class ‘A’ Professional Coach and member of the Professional Golf Teachers and Coaches of America.
“This is not something that we anticipated but need to now address,” quipped Priath Fernando, President of the SLGU.
Whilst Victoria Golf and Country Resort (VGCR), under the John Keells Group, had already started a Junior Golf Academy, there was a shortage of qualified professional coaches. The SLGU under its present programme to make Sri Lanka Golf World Class identified that there were no short cuts and decided to finally get golf into the schools’ sports curriculum, especially after golf was recognised as an Olympic Sport in 2016.
The SLGU has now moved in to provide more expertise and monitor performance having added another 20 kids from Kandy schools who were identified and picked as having the necessary hand-eye coordination to start golf at the VGCR.
The training programme in progress
All participants with officials