R&A unveils grants to African golf programs as part of ongoing support

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- The Royal & Ancient Club has announced grants awarded to golf initiatives in southern, eastern and northern Africa of $87,000, which forms part of a total commitment to golf on the continent of more than $833,000 over the coming year.

A total of $47,000 will be given to next year's Zone VI international team championship, an annual event contested by up to 15 African nations, which has been supported by The R&A since 1997. The 2010 event will return to Botswana's Gaborone Golf Club for the first time since 2001.

The R&A will be represented in 2010 to support the Championship where South Africa will defend the title they won at Chapman Golf Club in Harare, Zimbabwe, last year.

The R&A will contribute $20,000 toward four new Zimbabwean development academies. Two will be based in Harare (population 1.6 million), with one in Bulawayo (676,000) and one in Gweru (300,000). A total of 30 sets of clubs will also be sent to the country for junior development programs. Developed jointly by the Zimbabwe Golf Association and the R&A, each facility will be known as a 'Development Academy supported by The R&A.'

In North Africa, the biennial Africa Amateur Golf Team Championship will receive $20,000. It will be held later this month at Dreamland Golf and Tennis Resort in Cairo, Egypt, from Sept. 29-Oct. 2. South Africa won the 2007 event when it was played at Rossmund Golf Club in Swakopmund, Namibia. The R&A has supported this event since 2001.

"The R&A has been supporting golf in Africa for over a decade now and has provided assistance in over 20 countries there," explained Duncan Weir, the R&A's Director of Golf Development. "Many of those countries now send players to compete in our Junior Open and we can reasonably expect African golf to continue to progress; particularly if golf's Olympic bid is successful."

The East African Golf Challenge, an annual event contested by Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, received $10,000. The event was held at Entebbe Golf Club, Uganda, earlier this month. The tournament has received almost $84,000 over the eight years of R&A involvement.

The R&A has now supported golf in 21 African countries through event support, coaching grants, and the provision of playing and greenkeeping equipment. The countries supported so far are: Botswana; Burundi; Egypt; Gabon; Ghana; Ivory Coast; Kenya; Libya; Malawi; Morocco; Namibia; Nigeria; Rwanda; Sierra Leone; South Africa; Swaziland; Tanzania; Tunisia; Uganda; Zambia and Zimbabwe.

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