Golfers need recognition

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor,

A word (or maybe many) of congratulations is in order for the Trinidad and Tobago-based golfer Papo Haniff and Guyanese female defending champion Christine Sukhram, the two took top honours in the men and ladies’ categories of the R1 Vodka sponsored, two-day Guyana Open Golf championships, played over the weekend, at the Lusignan Golf Course. The achievements by the two champions are really worth noting, as they are no mean feats. In Guyana, sports is really dominated by cricket, football and cycling, and golf seems to be in the background.

However, the principals are always there at the Lusignan Golf Course, grinding away at their discipline.

Both Papo Haniff and Christine Sukhram are Lusignan bred. In fact, Guyana’s best golfers are from that tiny estate village.

Most of them are restricted by funds, yet the adversities they face are overcome with grit and natural ability.

Many of these golfers too are sometimes hesitant in representing themselves, mostly because, being ‘country people’ and not academically inclined, they suffer from a hindering shyness.

So when the Papos and the Christines excel, their glory must be made much of. So again, congratulations to the two champions, Papo and Christine.

That is on the men’s side.On the women’s side, third place was taken by Joann Deo, and guess what? She too is a Lusignan lass.

However, with Joann, she is proving that sports and higher education can be blended. The University of Guyana student has been on the course for quite a number of years, and is an inspiration to many females.

It is my hope that golf will continue to be promoted.

It is a sublime game, and in many ways, it parallels life. Golf is such an awesome game that any player, practising on the course, even all alone, is in an actual competition. He/she has to overcome the challenges: of course obstacles, weather conditions, physical limitations, waning stamina and human impatience.

All of these challenges do confront people in their daily lives. So I guess a golfer is an exemplary person. I also hope, especially considering Guyana’s land mass, that a course be constructed in Essequibo and Berbice. Why should a ‘big’ Guyana have just a single course?

Yours sincerely,

S. King

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