Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
VICTORIA Falls-based Vincent Makamure is the new president of the Matabeleland Golf Society taking over from Victor Suerga, who had been at the helm since 2015.
Makamure is from the Elephant Hills Golf Club stable and his tenure started on Thursday last week, just two days before the region’s first tournament of the season, the Dugmore and Fellowship tourney, that was held at Bulawayo Golf Club at the weekend.
Speaking to Chronicle Sport, Makamure said his immediate plan is to intensify junior golf development for the sustenance of the game in the region.
“My immediate plan is to intensify junior golf development and ensure that clubs in the region comply with Covid regulations laid out by the Sports and Recreation Commission,” said Makamure.
He said in the long run, he wants to ensure all national events that take place in the region have corporate backing.
“We have to ensure that all national events get corporate sponsorship because without such, the sport suffers,” he said.
Suerga said he leaves office a satisfied man, as his main objective was to ensure the game spread throughout the region, with the Elephant Hills Open now a National Order of Merit event.
“This was achieved as we now have Elephant Hills Open as a National Order of Merit event. Development was also key with identifying talent and nurturing them up to attaining national call-ups at junior and senior level. This was achieved with some having taken the sport as a career and becoming professional golfers,” said the Hwange-based Suerga.
Meanwhile, Borrowdale Brooks golfer Michael Wallace won this year’s Dugmore and Fellowship tournament with 219 points, while 2019 winner Mathew Williams from Bulawayo Golf Club came second with 226 points after a count out and Bulawayo Country Club’s Barry Painting was third with 226 points. Chapman Golf Club of Harare won the teams’ competition and Bulawayo Golf Club settled for second.
A field of 48 golfers took to the greens to mark the official start of the Zimbabwe Golf Association golfing season.
Online Reporter