Wednesday, October 24, 2012

THE SARAWAK JUNIOR OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP 2012

The Sarawak Junior Open Golf Championship will be held at Kelab Golf Miri, Sarawak from 14th - 15th November 2012

Monday, October 15, 2012

SK BANDAR UTAMA DAMANSARA 2 TAKES THE LEAD IN "GOLF IN SCHOOL" PROGRAM

S. Sivachandhran, MGA former national player and Asian Tour player conducted a junior clinic during the launch of the SK Bandar Damansara 2 Golf Club. Siva (in red) seen here posing with students, Pn Ee Hong, Director of Sports Department, Datuk Mohamed Zain Yusuf and Haji Saidon Abas The Malaysian Golf Association recently announced that a large chunk of the RM 2 million Grant received from the Government will be utilized for the "Golf in School" program, an initiative to introduce golf to school children between 7-17 years old where they might not be exposed at all. Datuk Mohamed Zain Yusuf, the National Junior Development Program Chairman who is also the Vice President of MGA said that almost 100 percent of our children have never played golf before. Unlike popular sports like football, track and field, hockey, golf has not been introduced in school as part of the school's co-curriculum. "We hope that this initiative to introduce golf in school will grow the industry by making golf affordable and accessible. It has the potential to grow the game at grass root like never before." SK Bandar Utama Damansara 2, one of the seven schools selected as a pilot project has taken the lead to launch the "Golf Club" of SK Bandar Utama Damansara 2 recently in conjunction with their Sports Day. "The response from the children is overwhelming. Within a few days, more than 100 students have registered to join the Golf Club," said Haji Saidon Abas, Principal of SK Bandar Utama Damansara 2. "We are very grateful to the Ministry of Education as well as the Malaysian Golf Association for selecting our school to be a part of this program. We believe that this program will build confidence and self-esteem for the children." The pilot program will involve seven schools in Kuala Lumpur & Selangor that have demonstrated extraordinary commitment. Besides SK Bandar Damansara 2, the other schools selected are SMK Jalan 4, SMK Saujana Impian, SMK Sri Hartamas, SK Seri Hartamas, SMK St John and SK St John 1. The Golf in School Program is an eight-to twelve-week activity conducted for two hours immediately after school meets two times each week. Sessions are conducted indoors and outdoors at schools using traditional golf equipment. Teachers will be trained using MGA's existing blueprint to instruct children on core golf skills - etiquette, rules and fundamentals - which enables MGA Resident Pro to ascertain that participants are prepared for the next step of playing golf. "The MGA is encouraged by the initial response to the Golf in School Program," said MGA President Tan Sri Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor. "We look forward to the continued development of the program and are excited to provide more students with meaningful opportunities to play this great game, with the goal of producing lifelong players." The final session of the Golf in School Program will be conducted at a golf club so that MGA appointed Professionals can show the juniors how they can apply their skills learned in class as well as get them comfortable with going to the golf course. "We believe that this program will build the next generation of golfers which is one of the main objectives of the Association," explained Datuk Mohamed Zain Yusuf. Datuk Mohamed Zain also urged more private corporations to come forward to support this program financially for a sustainable and enriching golf junior program. LINK : http://www.mgaonline.com.my/articledetail.asp?id=3388