By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA
THE Zambia Junior Golf Association (ZJGA) has expressed delight with the attendance of promising golfers at the week-long training conducted by two South African golfing professionals at the Lusaka Golf Club.
ZJGA director Aloysius Phiri said in an interview that the numbers were exciting, especially that 12 of the well over 57 participants were girls and that it was a good sign for the development of the sport in the country.
“We are making some good strides that tell us that our future looks bright. This is the second of three programmes that shall be held during the school holidays and it is encouraging so far,” he said.
The 57 budding golfers have been drawn from Lusaka and the surrounding areas which include Chilanga and Mumbwa and are being trained by Karl Hassler and Herman Vorster from the Golf School of Excellence (TGSE) in South Africa.
“The first one was held in Mazabuka and we had about 40 players and for this one, we anticipated 34 but look, we have almost 60. It’s great these boys and girls are getting the best training from professional trainers,” Phiri said.
From the ZJGA projection, close to 130 juniors will get trained after the Kitwe leg next week and this will be in addition to the specialised training some local professionals will equally get from the South African experts.
Lead trainer, Hassler, who is also the academy manager at TGSE, expressed happiness with the varying range of junior players he was working with.
“I have kids between the ages of six and 18 years; some are really novices while others are junior national team players like Aaron Simfukwe junior. It’s an exciting structure because in Mazabuka, except for maybe two or three, most are real beginners and it’s good to see their progress.
“Here in Lusaka, the players are a bit advanced but if I look at how they have progressed from the last time, it makes me happy and excited to be dealing with these kids. The rewards will come with time but it’s good we are creating a big pool and feeder for the national team,” Hassler said.
He said there was a lot of responsibility been placed on national junior coach Patrick Mwendapole senior in the training programme and that this will make him better equipped to handle the fledglings.
Phiri said that Mwendapole, who was with the team in Mazabuka, and had been joined by Obed Sholoma for the Lusaka camp while Beza Daka will join the group when the training shifts to Kitwe next week.