The Hong Kong Golf Association (HKGA) is organising the first Inter-Secondary Schools Golf Tournament, to take place on 14 May 2018, in an effort to further promote and develop golf. The tournament is open to all secondary schools entering a team or teams of no more than four players, and has both a boys and girls section. The tournament provides a platform for the HKGA to promote golf in secondary schools city-wide and identify more promising young athletes. The tournament is sponsored and hosted by Hong Kong Golf Club Fanling (HKGC (Fanling)), and supported by the Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation.

HKGA are working together hand in hand with HKGC (Fanling) to launch a host of initiatives in support of the first Inter-Secondary Schools Golf Tournament, inspiring young golfers through exchanges with the HK junior squad, seeking collaboration with golf brands to sponsor golf clubs and equipment, and supporting schools with training facilities and expertise. Further details:

1.Golf club and equipment

● The HKGA has invited golf brands to sponsor golf clubs and equipment for beginners

● The HKGC (Fanling) will set up a ‘golf club bank’ for club members to donate their used golf clubs which will be offered to schools free-of-charge

2.Training facilities and exchanges

● The HKGA will arrange exchange activities for school golf teams with members of Hong Kong Junior Squad

● The HKGC (Fanling) will offer school teams the use of driving range for training purpose upon receipt of their applications; HK$100 school team green fee for qualified golf team members; and practice sessions at New Course closer to the day of the tournament

● The HKGC (Fanling) will offer free access to school teams to the annual HK Open and Hong Kong Ladies Open with guided tours

3.Golf orientation for secondary schools’ physical education teachers

● The HKGC (Fanling) will host a briefing with a tour of the new course, which is the venue of the tournament, for PE teachers interested in forming golf teams

● The HKGC (Fanling) will conduct ‘train-the-trainer programme’ for PE teachers

The HKGA estimates that there are about 60,000 golfers in Hong Kong according to data collected from various sources. To further promote golf, the HKGA organises a ‘Golf for Schools’ programme in which 500 students learn to play golf each year. The HKGA sees the Inter-Secondary Schools Golf Tournament, open to all secondary schools with support from the Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation, a very good platform for promoting golf to secondary school students city-wide.

The HKGA Chief Executive Officer Danny Lai said: ‘Ensuring the sustainable development of golf requires the efforts of many parties. All of us in the golf community have the same goal. We want to see more members of the public especially young people having an opportunity to learn golf. We would like to see the appearance of more talented young players such as Tiffany Chan and Leon D’Souza. We also would like the Government to give its full support to the development of golf and invest more resources in the training of elite golfers and promotion of golf among general public.’

The HKGC General Manager Ian Gardner said: ‘We are very pleased to host the first Inter-Secondary Schools Golf Tournament. As a golf club with over 100 years of history, we are dedicated to supporting the development of young athletes and promote the fun of this sport to the community.’