Chronicle Editor
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ONE of the longest running amateur golf tournaments in Zimbabwe, the Elephant Hills Open made a return this year after not being held in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic with a total of 92 golfers taking to the Elephant Hills Golf Course over two days last weekend.
The event has been taking place since the 1990s and has grown over the years until it was disrupted by Covid-19 in 2020 since there were lockdowns that came with travel restrictions.
With a relaxation of restrictions as announced by the Government recently, the Elephant Hills Open finally took place, amid excitement from African Sun, one of the main sponsors. FBC Bank and Ingwebu Breweries were the other premium bankrollers of the event.
Edwin Shangwa, the African Sun managing director was delighted that the relaxation allowed them to have the tournament. Shangwa is also the chairman of the Elephant Hills Golf Club.
“These two days mark the Government initiative of Covid-19 relaxation in terms of the announcement they did with regards to travel, opening up a number of economic sectors. Us as tourism, we have been classified as an essential service but we were not able to get as many people to travel because there were travel restrictions.
“With these two days we have had an Elephant Hills Open, we didn’t have this last year because of Covid-19 but we managed to get some dispensation because of the relaxations that were announced. As you know that the tourism and the hospitality was the hardest hit during Covid-19, and included in that sector there is also sports tourism, which obviously marks the return of golf like what you saw in the last two days,’’ Shangwa said.
For African Sun, last weekend was also a success for them on the business front as their three hotels in the resort city were fully occupied.
“As African Sun, we have got a prime asset in Victoria Falls in the likes of the Elephant Hills where we are, we’ve got a magnificent golf course, very well looked after by the team at Elephant Hills. We’re also supported by the two hotels, the Victoria Falls Hotel, which we jointly manage and operate with the Meikles Hospitality and the Kingdom, which we manage 100 percent as African Sun. Those hotels this weekend have been full with conferences, with golfers, traveling as far afield as Botswana, Zambia and some coming from various places in Zimbabwe,’’ said Shangwa.
He was pleased with the response they got for the Elephant Hills Open, with Shangwa’s belief being that last weekend’s event was an indication of better prospects that lie ahead.
“We are very excited with the response we have gotten, not forgetting our partners who supported us to make sure that this event was successful. These two days is an indication of better things to come ahead.”
Having the Elephant Hills Open means a lot to African Sun as that means an increase in room occupancy as their three hotels in Victoria Falls.
“This tournament in terms of value addition to the business, it brings a lot of life, rejuvenation, our staff are quite excited to see so many people, the hotels fully booked over the last two days, which has been missing for the past 18 months.
“So, for us, we think this is a great start, we are restarting as tourism, we are restarting with the business, we are very excited with the developments which we are seeing. We hope that we will not have serious lockdowns going forward so that we keep the momentum going until we realise the gains which we used to achieve way back in 2018 and 2019,’’ he said.
Shangwa made an announcement on the last day that the Elephant Hills Golf Course, the only such facility in Victoria Falls will be undergoing renovations to ensure that it meets international standards.
Designed by the legendary Gary Player and built in 1972, the Elephant Hills Golf Course is an 18-hole championship course. It offers a unique experience for golfers as they can come across wildlife as they navigate the course.
“The desire is to make sure that we look at sprucing up the golf course, the details are still at the planning stage and obviously these are going to be unveiled as soon as we sign up with our potential partner who is going to come in and assist us develop the golf course.
“We are very excited with the development and the response particularly from the golf fraternity, in terms of support, supporting the Elephant Hills Open. Definitely, there are going to be improvements on the golf course, which will make sure that as an entity we maximise and make sure that we also put bums in beds, that is people in our hotel rooms, for all the three hotels in Victoria Falls,’’ said Shangwa.
Golfers from Botswana, Bulawayo, Harare, Hwange, Victoria Falls and Zambia took part in this year’s Elephant Hills Open.
Josphat Phiri, a former African Sun employee walked away with the top prize at the Elephant Hills Open having played the least number of shots than all other players over the two days.
It was the seventh time that Phiri, a member of the Elephant Hills Golf Club since 1992 has won the tournament. The 58-year Phiri, with a gross score of 166 won by just one shot ahead of Leon Mushonga who was on 167. Phiri took home a four-plate gas stove, grinder, jerry can and a tools box.
Elvis Mulenga, who was leading the pack on day one had to settle for fourth place with a gross score of 169. Mulenga, however, had the best overall net score of 145, which saw him win a stove.
Aulia Alfazema from the Royal Harare Golf Club won the overall women’s prize and walked away with a total of 11 prizes at the awards ceremony held at the end of the event. Theresa Mkandla was the runner-up in the women category.
Alfazema had actually travelled from Harare to Victoria Falls to celebrate her birthday Tuesday. Being an avid golfer, she carried her golf bag with her, which she put to great use over the two days.
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Bongani Ndlovu