Golf Association gazettes new fees

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Golf Association Board has gazetted a minimal increase in affiliation fees for all registered golf clubs in the country while also introducing corporate golf day and golfer affiliation fees.

The move is intended to, among its many positive aims, to help develop the game through junior golf development as well as rendering support to various national teams.

“An inflation-based increase of affiliation fees has been approved and all clubs are hereby instructed to levy their members $40 as affiliation fees for the year 2018 with effect from January 1, 2018.

“All corporate bodies including charitable fundraisers holding golf days/fundraisers at your club shall be levied $100 per day or part thereof for onward transmission to the ZGA. Clubs overlooking the levying of the fee will be required to pay the ZGA from their own resources and make good with their clients at the clubs’ own pace,” wrote the ZGA in a circular to all golf clubs in the country.

The association reminded clubs that under Statutory Instrument 342 of 1995, any athlete that plays a sport to compete must be an affiliate of the sporting discipline chosen.

“All Golf Clubs are hereby instructed to collect affiliation fees from all their members without exception. All affiliates shall be required to display their ZGA card to the club upon registration to a round of golf. Any non-affiliated golfer shall be required to pay the green fees at a higher rate than affiliated golfers.

“These fees shall remain the property of the club in their entirety and clubs will be expected to encourage ZGA membership by levying this fee without fear of favour,” wrote the ZGA whose president is Mufaro Chivonivoni.

The circular said non-affiliated golfers shall not be eligible to take part in any club competition except as temporary visitors where the club/corporate body or association in good faith creates a genuine ‘visitors’ category.

“It follows therefore that all your non-affiliated players will be taken off the national handicap system. All players that remain in arrears in respect of 2017 affiliation fees will be taken off the national handicap system with effect from January 1, 2018 until they settle their dues,” reads the communiqué. — @skhumoyo2000.