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Ghana Golf Association receives 10,000 balls from R&A to nurture Ghana’s next golf stars

Treasurer of the Ghana Golf Association, Rodney Oddoye (R) receiving the items

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The Ghana Golf Association has distributed thousands of golf balls and other training equipment to golf clubs across the country as part of efforts to strengthen junior development and nurture the next generation of golfers.

The equipment, which was donated by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club (R&A), includes 10,000 golf balls, specially designed golf clubs for elite junior players and additional training materials to support the development of young golfers in Ghana.

Speaking during the presentation ceremony on June 22, 2026, Treasurer of the Ghana Golf Association, Rodney Oddoye, explained that the items were handed over to clubs with active junior programmes to enable them to train more young talents.

According to him, each participating club received a minimum of 500 golf balls, while larger clubs with established junior development structures received up to 1,000 balls.

He stressed that investing in youth development was crucial for the future of the sport, noting that the average age of golfers in many clubs is above 50 years.

“We need to bring in younger people because they are the ones who will represent Ghana in future competitions, including the Olympic Games and the All-African Games. It is not the 50-year-olds who will be competing at that level, so developing children and students is very important,” he stated.

Rodney Oddoye added that most golf clubs are located close to schools, providing an opportunity to identify and train young talents who could eventually become active members of the clubs and represent the country at the highest level.

He commended the R&A for its continuous support towards the growth of golf in Ghana, revealing that the organisation had also donated customised Mizuno golf clubs for the country’s high-performance junior golfers.

“These clubs are made according to the specifications of our best young golfers, making them more suitable for their development compared to ordinary clubs purchased from shops,” he said.

Junior Coordinator of the Ghana Golf Association, Kofi Ntsiful, also highlighted the significant progress being made in junior golf in recent years.

He disclosed that Ghana recorded a major milestone this year when a junior golfer made the cut at a continental competition in South Africa for the first time, demonstrating the country’s improving standard in the sport.

“We have the highest number of junior golfers we have ever had, and the numbers are still increasing. We have school programmes, underprivileged programmes and several other initiatives aimed at making golf accessible to more children,” he said.

Kofi Ntsiful explained that the association is working with about 16 golf clubs nationwide, all of which have junior programmes that identify and train young players.

He encouraged interested children to take advantage of the opportunities available, stating that junior participation at golf clubs is free.

“Any child who is interested can walk into the nearest golf course, speak to a coach and get started. There are no fees for juniors because we want golf to be accessible to everyone,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ghanaian junior golfer Ernestina Mensah, who represented Team Ghana at the All Africa Junior Team Championship in Nairobi, Kenya, welcomed the donation, saying the equipment would significantly improve training sessions and help junior players develop their skills.

She expressed optimism that with better equipment and continued support, young golfers in Ghana would improve their performances and compete favourably on the African and international stage.