By Charmaine Austin, Staff ReporterJAMAICA could produce a Tiger Woods or Vijay Singh in the near future.
A Golf Academy and Driving Range built by the Urban Development Corporation will be officially opened at Liguanea Park next month.
Communications giant Cable & Wireless made a substantial contribution to the development of this new facility yesterday when manager for Corporate Communications, Errol Miller, presented a cheque for J$8m to the Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) at the range.
JGA president Gordon Hutchinson said Cable & Wireless' sponsorship could not have come at a more opportune time and now they will be able to spread the game.
"This sponsorship will go a long way as we aim to introduce the game to people who were not previously able to access the game before because of a lack of facilities.
"It is very significant for us and we are very appreciative of it. Now we can develop the game and spread it among those who are interested in participating," he said.
The first phase of the sponsorship will be for five years. A part of the money, Hutchinson explained, will be used to purchase balls, clubs and machines to pick up, clean and dispense the balls.
The rest will be spent on junior development. The JGA is aiming to make a massive thrust into schools to introduce the game to students at all levels.
Persons interested in practicing and honing their golf skills will be able to walk in, purchase a bucket of balls, rent clubs and even arrange for lessons with resident tutors.
The facility, the first of its kind in Jamaica, will serve a number of purposes, recreational and otherwise. These will include the training of caddies, individuals interested in studying the rules of golf and persons otherwise associated with golf and the tourism industry.
