The South African golf industry on Tuesday announced the formation of a representative body that will address different aspects that arose during the country's first golf summit at Fancourt in George this week.
The announcement follows calls from outside and within the industry to unify efforts and strategies that could ultimately lead to self-regulation for golf course developments and other related matters.
The summit's initiator, Fancourt marketing director Kwakye Donkor, said representatives of the industry would meet for a one-day strategic planning workshop to formalise a Business of Golf project team.
"We want to develop a shared vision for the business of golf in South Africa, which would include guiding values and principles as well as strategic goals to sustainably optimise our potential," said Donkor.
The body is expected to represent golf developers, golf estate owners, golf tourism operators and other related industries.
A draft document will be made available to the industry within 14 days of the workshop, and stakeholders will have another 14 days to provide comment and feedback.
Quarterly updates on progress will be provided to industry stakeholders and a comprehensive progress report provided at next year's summit.
The move should be welcomed especially by government structures that continuously interact with golf estate developers and golf event organisers.
Tourism SA chief executive Moeketsi Mosola and the Western Cape MEC for Environment and Development Planning, Tasneem Essop, led government calls for a body that could self-regulate and interact regarding matters that affected the industry.
Essop commended the industry for initiating the summit and called for the development of a strategic vision for the industry based on sustainable development principles and transformation.
"I have had some dealings with the ad hoc golf estate forum and think the efforts should be formalised. It will be useful for the industry to regulate itself by putting together a list of best practices and developing a code of conduct."
Arabella Golf Estate developer Riaan Gous - who is also the chairman of the golf estate forum that was formed especially to submit information in defence of the industry during the rapid review process of golf and polo estates in the Western Cape - said the industry wanted to be seen as responsible and beneficial to the economies it supported.
"We want to address matters such as negative perceptions about the industry and think it is important to formulate a strategy.
"This is still a relatively new industry in South Africa and we would like to see it grow into something that can benefit all communities within the country."
Easter Province Herald
Publisher: I-Net Bridge
Source: I-Net Bridge
