The T&T Golf Association is planning to set up driving ranges in the country's major stadiums over the next year in an effort to spread the popularity of the sport. Having been given the green light by the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, the association will start work on a range at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima in the coming months.Depending on the success of the project, plans for the Hasely Crawford, Ato Boldon and Mannie Ramjohn Stadiums may follow.Speaking to the media recently, TTGA President Robert Costelloe said that the idea was geared towards introducing newcomers to the game.
"Golf, in its own instinctive way, has tremendous character building opportunities for the population," he said. "This is all a virgin concept, but if you beat it hard enough you can probably make something happen out of it. All the utilities are there at the venues and we could give an opportunity for families to come and see how golf can really be a vehicle for teaching life skills."Costelloe commended the Ministry for its long term support of the sport, which he felt had allowed it to not be confined by any social boundaries.
"More than anywhere in the world, I think that T&T has really broken down the barrier of golf being an elitist sport. Indigenously, if you go to Chaguaramas, Point a Pierre, Usine St Madeline and Brechin Castle, it's really those outskirts where golf has come from. If you look at the history of the game and players like Chris Richards, Carlos "Sexy" Baynes and Carlos Beckles, we've crossed those borders from the start," he said."I just think it's great that there are no barriers and when we get together on a golf course, we're one and there's no divisions. That's the greatest things about golf in T&T."
The TTGA suffered a setback recently when it was forced to scale back on its Starting New At Golf (SNAG) programme because of the downturn in the economy. Having once reached over 3500 students in 54 schools across T&T, it is currently available in just over 20. Costelloe said the organisation would be working towards reviving the project as part of its drive to make the sport available to as many people as possible.Also on the TTGA's agenda is its bid to host the Copa Las Americas tournament in 2012, as well as its commitment to hosting the 56th Caribbean Amateur Championships in August and the Caribbean Cup in October.
