GOLF continues to make great strides as 2023 draws to a close, with the Ministry of Education’s Unit of Allied Arts Priority Programme and Nexgen Golf Academy pushing to advance in Regions Three, Six, Seven, and 10.

Master Coach Aleem Hussain was in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Thursday to train coaches, and several senior members of the Education Department took advantage of his presence to learn the game.

What has been a fantastic year for golf in Guyana became even better when, in October, the programme was rolled out in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), (Demerara-Mahaica), and Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Georgetown, thereby giving thousands of students access to golf on a weekly basis during scheduled PE classes.

According to Mr. Saeed Zameen, who heads the Priority Programme, “The response emanating from all schools and districts in which we implemented golf has surprised me, in a pleasant way! We are on track to have golf as a sport offered in over 70 schools by the end of next term, thanks to the incredible efforts and support from Mr. Aleem and the Nexgen Golf Academy team.”

Golf has also caught the attention of the Regional Education District Officers, Head Teachers and faculty all around the country, and challenges have been issued by various regions to determine the top schools in 2024.

Mr. Hussain, who is also President of the Guyana Golf Association, and designer/builder of the Westside Golf Course in Vreed-en-Hoop, which will be opened to the public fully in January, said, “Golf is no longer the unknown sport; inaccessible to the average Guyanese. We’ve changed that! Our mission is that every person will have access to play the game without worrying about equipment or membership fees.”

With hundreds of students set to take golf as a PE elective at CSEC in 2024, Guyana continues to lead the region in several key categories, and Hussain hopes that this will translate into success at junior international tournaments in 2024.

The Nexgen Golf Academy on Woolford Avenue is the nation’s only golf-driving range, and is certified as an LPGA/USGA Girls Site, which allows young women to access training, cash grants, and scholarships to top universities worldwide.