Byo Golf Club to host All Africa Golf Team Champs

THE country’s oldest golf course, Bulawayo Golf Club is set to host the 2024 All-Africa Golf Team Championship in October.

The tournament was initially meant to take place in Seychelles.
It has however, been moved to Zimbabwe after the initial hosts declared incapacitation.

The event is the biggest amateur golf tournament in Africa.
A total of 20 countries are set to converge at the iconic Bulawayo Golf Club, an 18-hole course with a par of 72.

It was built in 1895 and has stood the test of time ever since, proving to be the best in the city.
The 2024 All-Africa Golf Team Championship is set to run from October 23 to November 2 and is an R&A sanctioned event. It brings together the crème de la crème of African golf.

The official launch for the championship is pencilled for July at the host venue. The tournament is held every two years.

Zimbabwe Golf Association (ZGA) president Martin Chikwana who is also Africa Golf Confederation vice-president confirmed the news, saying that they will also be setting up organising and fundraising committees that will be tasked with ensuring smooth preparations for the tournament.

“I can confirm that we are going to be hosting the biggest amateur golf event on the continent, the All-Africa Championship in October at Bulawayo Golf Club. Twenty African countries will be taking part in the event that brings together the best of the best. So far, we have already started getting enquiries from countries such as Egypt and Mauritius,” said Chikwana.

He added that they are looking to engage the corporate world to help in sponsoring the event as it is not only for ZGA but for Zimbabwe as a whole.

“After Seychelles couldn’t host, Zimbabwe came in to take over and we have constituted an organising and fundraising committees to make sure that it’s a success. We will be appealing to the corporates for support because this is not for ZGA but for Zimbabwe. It’s for the country and we have to project ourselves in our best image. The tournament has to be a success and leave a lasting legacy,” said Chikwana.

The previous event was hosted in England in 2022 and Morocco emerged victorious, beating the then defending champions South Africa by eight shots.
Morocco put up a brilliant performance to become the first country to beat the South Africans since the All-Africa

Golf Team Championship was first played in South Africa in 2001. South Africa had won the previous 10 editions.
On their way to ending South Africa’s dominance, the Moroccans took the lead right from the first round and also managed to bring their best on the final round to take home the coveted continental silverware.
Zimbabwe finished in sixth position in the 2022 edition.

The biennial All-Africa Golf Team Championship — considered Africa’s most prestigious amateur golf team event — is endorsed by the R&A and the African Golf Confederation (AGC). The R&A is the world governing body of golf outside the Americas.
– @brandon_malvin