Junior golf gets teed-off
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July 2018 saw the second year of a successful HSBC “Future Lions”, Golf Talent Search programme conducted by Sri Lanka golf. The programme was launched in 2017 in search of talent across Sri Lanka to spread golf among rural communities who can now boast of having golf courses in their backyards. With additional three new golf courses to Sri Lanka’s Golf course landscape, namely; Eagles Golf Links, SLAF, China Bay, Trincomalee, Army Golf Course, Diyatalawa and Shangri-La’s Hambantota Golf Resort and Spa, spreading golf as a sport and providing an opportunity to kids in the neighborhood is of paramount importance to both Sri Lanka Golf and HSBC. Helping Sri Lanka Golf with both funding and golf equipment it is Royal and Ancient that’s very keen in taking golf to countries where golf is in its infancy.
Second-year-in-a-row in 2018 “Future Lions” sponsored by HSBC in partnership with Sri Lanka Golf took to the road that completed over 1000km starting from Trincomalee to Diyatalawa and then Shangri-La’s Hambantota Resort and Spa. Trincomalee had the participation of Koneshwara Hindu College, Greenwich International School, St. Josephs College, Orr’s Hill Vivekananda College and St Mary’s College – total –there were 104 participants in Trincomalee.
Both Diyatalawa Madhya Maha Vidyalaya and Kadurugamuwa Mihindu Vidyalaya were invited by Sri Lanka Army Golf to take part in the talent search. (Total in Diyatalawa 142 participants)
It was Dehigahalanda Maha Vidyalaya Ambalantota and Therapuththa Maha Vidyalaya that were invited by Shangri-La’s Hambantota Golf Resort and Spa to conduct the same program designed by Sri Lanka Golf. (Total at Shangri-La’s Hambantota Golf Resort and Spa 118 participants)
From a total of 364 juniors the “Talent Search” was able to pick 250 to take to the development stage and produce future champions in their respective academies. With five academies that hatched through HSBC “Future Lions” in 2017, it will now add another three fully fledged golf academies taking the total to eight.