Otumfuo, Adu to tee-off as Achimota Golf Club inaugurates world-class course
A new chapter will be opened in the history of golfing in Ghana today with the inauguration of an international standard golf course, the Achimota Golf Club, which becomes the first of its kind in West Africa to boast a Professional Golfers Association-certified (PGA) course.
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After nearly two years’ closure during which Tullow Oil Ghana invested $3 million for the construction of a lush, newly designed 18-hole course, the new look Achimota club reopens today after undergoing a massive transformation which validates its status as the nation’s premier golf destination.
During a visit by the Daily Graphic yesterday, workers were busily putting finishing touches to the renovations works to ensure the facility looks pristine for today’s reopening which will bring together some of the country’s leading golfers and corporate heavyweights a touch of royalty provided by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, an avid golfer who will tee-off with Frank Adu, of CAL Bank and Captain of the Achimota Club.
The completion of work and long-awaited reopening of the Achimota course was greeted with excitement by Bernice Natue, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations Manager of Tullow Oil.
“It’s looking different and beautiful,” she told the Daily Graphic yesterday, adding that partnering Achimota club was one of the legacies Tullow wanted to leave behind.
“All over the world, businesses have emerged from discussions held at golf clubs and we want to create a world-class environment where more of such big deals will be discussed and sealed,” he said.
The reconstruction of the course was undertaken by Paul McGinley Golf Design Africa, which redesigned the 18-hole course with stylish countours and bunkers and also laid lush green grass on the Tees and the Fairways and other strain of grass imported from Spain and the United States.
Paul Kelly, Grow-in Manager of the company, explained that in creating world-class course, they had to import particular grass that was favourable to drought and thrived better in sunlight.
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Kelly was emphatic the standard was the first of its kind in West Africa and among a few of its kind in Africa.
“It’s amazing. I’ve worked on golf courses since the last 17 years and it’s every bit as good as all I’ve worked on. The site itself, the design and the whole set-up is brilliant,” he said.
Kwesi Amoafo-Yeboah, tournament director at Achimota club, was confident the establishment of the court would help the club put its best foot forward and attract international tournaments and big name golfers across the world.
“I think it is long in coming and it’s good for Ghana. We needed something that had international appeal and we have one now and we hope to attract attention from the international golf fraternity,” said Mr Amoafo-Yeboah, one time independent presidential candidate in the 2008 general election.
Today’s opening ceremony will also see Aidan Heavey, CEO of Tullow Oil Plc and Paul McGinley also teeing-off.