A golf academy in Fort Portal, Uganda, is making strides to integrate greenkeeping into its golf coaching programs for young Ugandans. The initiative emphasizes the importance of greenkeeping and aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the golf ecosystem.
By introducing children to the fundamentals of greenkeeping, AFRIYEA Golf Academy hopes to spark interest in this crucial field, offering students the opportunity to develop technical expertise that could lead to various roles in the golf industry.
The academy was founded at Toro club which is an affiliate member of the Uganda golf union. Its vision is to provide the underserved youth and children with special needs to prosper in life by instilling character development, life skills and values through education and the game of golf and academy core values include academic excellence, hard work, result based, discipline, inclusive, sportsmanship and environment consciousness.
Isaiah Mwesige, CEO of AFRIYEA Golf Academy, explained: “This program is about more than just teaching golf; it’s about opening a world of opportunities for our young people. Greenkeeping provides essential technical skills for the golf industry, and by including it in our curriculum, we are preparing the next generation to make a meaningful impact both on and off the course.”
Hands-On learning
The program offers hands-on experiences for the children, allowing them to engage directly with greenkeeping tasks. Young learners are taught to care for golf course equipment, manage bunkers, and maintain the greens.
Harisson Kasaija, a coach at AFRIYEA Golf Academy and a greenkeeper, emphasized the long-term value of this program. “Greenkeeping is an integral part of the golf industry that often goes unnoticed. By teaching these young learners greenkeeping skills, we are not only creating job opportunities but also laying the foundation for a sustainable future for golf in Uganda. It’s incredible to see their enthusiasm for learning something so essential.”
Opening doors to new opportunities
Beyond golf instruction, this initiative also aims to create broader opportunities for the students, including scholarships, mentorships, and international exchange programs. AFRIYEA Golf Academy hopes that these pathways provide learners with the practical knowledge needed to become skilled professionals, capable of enhancing the quality and sustainability of golf courses in Uganda and beyond.
Since its start, the academy has introduced over 350 juniors into the sport of golf and has enabled 20 students to further their education in Uganda and beyond.