The Executive Governor of Plateau State Rt. Hon. S.B. Lalong has been commended for his lofty contributions in the development of the game of golf in the country.
This commendation was made by the President, Nigerian Golf Federation (NGF) and OSR Golf, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe at the grand commissioning of the redesigned Green 18 holes course of the Rayfield Golf Club in Jos, Plateau State.
The NGF President revealed that prior to the realization that the first golf course is older than Nigeria, the Jos Rayfield golf course was speculated to have been established in 1935 adding that it was the discovery of the “August Burler Cup” that settled the matter once and for all and proved that the Rayfield Golf course in Jos is indeed the oldest golf in the country and perhaps the entire west African region.
Otunba Runsewe pointed out that the establishment of the Rayfield golf club led to the off-short of other notable golf courses in the plateau and in other surrounding states Runsewe while commending Governor Lalong for building a formidable golf synergy in Nigeria thanked the executive members or the club and the organizing committee for the successful hosting of the week long tournament.In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of Rayfield Golf Club, Air Marshal JD Wuyep (Rtd) also commended the Executive Governor of the State, for his immense contributions to the upgrading of facilitiesat the golf club as well as the development of the game of Golf in the state.
He said the redesigning and the general upgrading of the Rayfield and other golf courses in the state would not have been possible if the governor did not operate an open-door policy.
The chairman reiterated the urgent need for other golf clubs to organize more age grade golf tournaments to accommodate the youths and groom them for the future.
In his remarks, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Solomon Lalong expressesd delight at the unpresidented turnout of golfers from other golf clubs throughout the country to the Rayfield golf club for the PR-AM Golf Tournament.
Rt. Hon. Lalong particularly showed gratitude to the President of the Nigerian Golf Federation, Otunba Runsewe for honouring the invitation to witness the commissioning of the redesigned green 18 holes course of the Rayfield golf clubGovernor Lalong who emphasized the need to bring up and encourage young golfers to grow and become professionals called on the president of the NGF to introduce the aspect of Golf Tourism in the agenda of the federation and thanked the NGF president for bringing to rest the controversy surrounding the first Golf Club in the country.
The Governor maintained that golf though often seen as an elite sports is a game open to all irrespective of age and gender and the Rayfield golf course in Jos is a place where any golfer in the globe is welcomed.
He therefore congratulated the winners of the different categories of the competition.Prices ranging from flat screen televisions, gas cookers, refrigerators, water dispensers and cash prices were presented to the winners.Meanwhile, a 92 year old golfer Baba Sam Gyang became the cynosure of all eyes as he played with zest and dexterity which added colour to the event.
