TLGU: High costs hinder golfers from competing abroad

Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian golfers face formidable challenges when it comes to participating in competitions abroad - including the high costs involved, and the viral Covid-19 pandemic.

This was said by the Tanzania Ladies Golf Union (TLGU) president, Sophia Viggo, in an exclusive interview with The Citizen.

Viggo said TLGU has been receiving many invitations from various countries, but the participation costs make most golfers fail to respond accordingly.

According to her, the costs include - but aren’t limited to - visa charges, travelling tickets, competition entry fees, accommodation and meals.

“Then you have to pay at least Sh250,000 for Covid-19 testing in Tanzania - and also pay a certain amount for a similar ‘service’ in the golfing country! All that hinders our golfers from competing abroad nowadays,” said Viggo.

Each golfer must raise at least Sh3 million to compete in events organised by countries like Kenya, Uganda Malawi, Zambia, South Africa, Nigeria, etc. That is basically why Tanzanian golfers rarely travel to those countries these days.

Viggo also said that TLGU recently conducted a meeting in which it was agreed that each club in the country should stage an Open Golf competition for lady golfers. For its part, TLGU would only stage the Tanzania Lady Golfers’ Open events - along the lines of what it did in Morogoro Region at the end of last year.

According to the Union President, golf clubs like Lugalo, TPC, Kili Golf, Arusha and Dar es Salaam Gymkhana have been given the requisite mandate to stage Open Golf competitions.

“We also plan to include Ladies’ Golf competitions when the main Union, TGU, stages its events. Our aim is to have many competitions this year,” she said.