Latest update April 9th, 2025 12:59 AM
GGA Vice-president says focus on youth/education part of plan for 2023
Kaieteur Sports – Vice-President of the Guyana Golf Association (GGA) Dallas Thomas says the goal is to ensure that youths not only play golf but understand the importance of the academic opportunities the sport now provides, locally.
The GGA executive Thomas, a retired US Marine and president of Praetorian Security Services explained that his drive is mainly a result of knowing the endless opportunities that are available to the younger generation of student athletes in Guyana and more so, in golf.
In 2022, for the first time in the country’s history, golf was offered as a PE elective at CSEC examinations and 116 students from Rosignol Secondary, Friendship Secondary, President’s College, Wisburg Secondary and Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary took a leap from traditional sports to do golf, and delivered incredible results with 100% pass rate at the highest level.
Thomas expounded, “I decided to serve on the Board of the GGA firstly because of my love of the game but also in recognition of the exceptional efforts of our team and the partnerships forged with the Ministry of Education Unit of Allied Arts, the Texas Golf Association and other international golf organizations that allowed us to introduce the sport all around the country in just a year. I know firsthand of the networking and potential scholarships that golf offers to young persons and I definitely want all Guyanese to fully benefit from these opportunities.”
Vice-President of the Guyana Golf Association (GGA) Dallas Thomas trying out the Greens at the Westside Golf Course.
Rosignol Secondary School has risen to top the list of schools with all 57 students taking golf. Bushlot Secondary, with 50 students is in second place with Anna Regina falling to third with 47 students. Friendship Secondary increased their PE class from just 9 students in 2022 to 46 this year with an astonishing 40 students opting for golf.
Several students from Queens College are taking golf on their own outside of their traditional school agenda under the direction tutelage of QC Alumnus Aleem Hussain. The changing face of golf in Guyana is attracting the attention of the LPGA/USGA, the International Golf Federation and the R&A, especially in light of the astounding growth of the game, not just in sheer numbers of new players but in a tough to attract category, females’ players.
GGA expects a larger number of students to choose golf this year as part of the CSEC PE examinations.
Hussain, president of the GGA said that after discussions with the Minister of Education Priya Manikchand, the consensus is that it is necessary to avoid having students travel long distances to practice and play. The GGA has reached out to NICIL in hopes of securing 8-10 acre tracts of land in various regions that can be developed as a multifaceted sport facility similar to the Westside Golf Course which was recently opened in Vreed-en-Hoop
The GGA will be hosting a family fun day in May at the Westside Golf Course in Vreed-en-Hoop to raise funds for the first ever Guyana National Junior Golf Championship, which will be sponsored in part by DDL Savannah Milk. The Westside Golf Course has seen tremendous support from the Regional Chairman and Region Three offices, along with the Region Three Private Sector, corporate sponsors and most importantly, the residents of the region who have made it their weekend social gathering spot.
- Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary, Friendship Secondary, President’s College, Rosignol Secondary, Wisburg Secondary
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