Minigolf Federation launched

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has welcomed the newly launched Ghana Minigolf Federation (GMF) to Ghana’s sports fraternity urging them to help dispel the elitists perception surrounding the main sport of golf.

Speaking at the launch of the GMF yesterday in Accra, the minister said minigolf could groom potential world class golfers, especially in schools across the country.

"This sits very well with the vision of the Sports Ministry to develop least funded sports," Mr Vanderpuye said yesterday at the official launch of the GMF at the Marvels Minigolf Course in Accra.

"It will help develop the interest in golf among our youth and this will help dispel elitist myths surrounding golf, it is the only sport I never tried my hand at because I heard the equipment was very expensive.

"Minigolf can bridge that gap because it is simpler and can develop the appetite of the sport among the youth, I will also encourage families to get involved". 

The federation thus becomes the 41st sports regulatory body under the umbrella of the National Sports Authority.

The Chairman of the occassion, Mike Aggrey, who is also the President of the Ghana Golf Association, gave the new body his approval, stating that mini-golf was a preparatory event for main golfing events.

In his remarks, the President of the GMF, Alhaji Talal Fattal, said the mission of the federation was to develop more indoor and outdoor courses which would help promote the sport across the country.

Mr Fattal said pursuant to this, the GMF would begin a membership drive to enroll over a hundred members ahead of the national mini-golf league on November 8.

He added that the top 24 players at the end of the league on February 5, 2017 would qualify to represent Ghana at international championships.

Other executives of the GMF were introduced as Mr Fadi Fattal (Head of Media and Marketing) Ralph Kyei (Sports Director), Nicholina Naa Botchway (Acting Secretary) and Alain Vignard (Africa Minigolf Sports Director).