$3M to upgrade Chag course

IT WILL COST over $3 million to upgrade the Chaguaramas Golf Course into an international standard 18-hole facility. And a fresh effort is being made to kick-start the long awaited project which was first mooted more than two decades ago. Yesterday Bernard Pantin, Public Relations Officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Golf Association said a meeting is being sought with the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Roger Boynes. Pantin said discussions will focus on the overall development of golf in Trinidad and Tobago but the plan for Chaguaramas is certain to come up. Also at the top of the agenda will be the demise of the courses at Clifton Hill, Point Fortin and Brechin Castle, which fell into decline after the closure of Caroni (1975) Limited.

Pantin was speaking yesterday at the launch of the Rudder/Alexander Invitational Golf Tournament sponsored by Bewil and Company Limited. The media event took place at Bewil, Phillips Street, Port-of-Spain and also present were Anthony Hosang, secretary of the Chaguaramas Golf Club; Andrew Aleong, president of the CGC; Berry Ferdinand, managing-director of Bewil, Lesley John, Bewil’s Marketing and Research Analyst and Eric Griffith, manager of CGC’s junior programme. “The question of further development has come up and with the coming onstream of the Millennium Course at Trincity shortly there will be less opportunity for the average player. But rest assured the voices of golfers will be heard,” promised Pantin.

Despite the fact that extension of the course was identified as a priority so long ago, nothing has been done to fast track the process. The course falls under the jurisdiction of the Chaguaramas Development Authority. “It is unfortunate that new plans keep coming up and up until recently there were three or four new designs. But design is not the problem, it is the execution,” said Pantin. President of the CGC, Andrew Aleong said that membership of the Chaguaramas Golf Club has grown over the years with more than 200 registered golfers presently using the course. Republic Bank over the years has also invested in the young golfers at Chaguaramas bankrolling at least three clinics for the year which attracts more than 80 golfers at each turn. According to junior programme manager Griffith the clinic targets youngsters between the ages of five and 14 and he says the benefits of the game on the impressionable minds are immeasurable.

“The game builds character, helps the kids focus better at school and helps them develop into wholesome adults,” said Griffith. He said that he manages the programme along with Gerard Darlington and espouses the urgent need to have the course expanded as the increase in membership makes it a necessity in the short term. Griffith said with the exploits of Tiger Woods on the international stage, more youngsters are being attracted to the sport and plans must be put in place to accomodate the new interest. He said he would also like to start a project in the Beetham Estate area soon and has already identified a clear area near the basketball court where he said a clinic could be easily staged for the youngsters in the district.