Golf chief to focus on youth development

The newly elected president of the Ghana Golf Association (GGA), Mike Aggrey, has promised to focus on the development of youth golf during his three-year tenure.

Mr Aggrey who was elected at the association’s  Annual General Meeting held last month at the Ghana Open held at the Achimota Golf Club said he has set an ambitious target of adding 150 new golfers to the existing number of golfers in the country.

Mr Aggrey served as the vice president to immediate past GGA president, Dr Felix Frempong, and   says he believes that the introduction of youthful members, as well as differential pricing of membership fees for young golfers will make the sport more affordable for young golfers.

  “Currently, golf in Ghana has an ageing demographic with an average age between 47-50 years. We need to recruit young golfers for golf to continue to remain a relevant sport in Ghana,” Mr Aggrey told the Daily Graphic in an interview in Accra.

“We are engaging all the clubs and they are on board because Ghanaian golfers are ageing and in the next 10 years most of the players will not be playing actively.”

“We are engaging the clubs to have youthful members, as well as differential pricing for youngsters as an entry point where they will pay only 25 per cent of subscription fees while the senior players pay the full amount,” Mr Aggrey added.

He also pledged to organise quarterly training sessions for journalists in a bid to popularise the sport among Ghanaians by enabling them to produce accurate and interesting reports.

Mr Aggrey was elected unopposed as GGA president along with George Lee Mensah as first vice president,  Francis Oppong as second vice president, Group Captain F. Gyimah-Kwakye as Hon. Secretary, Mr Akwasi Poku as Deputy Hon. Secretary and Mr Gilbert Morgan as Hon. Treasurer.