The TYB International Golf Resort and Country Club has rewarded no fewer than 200 caddies and others for their contributions to the club.
The recipient categories, including caddies, course workers, cleaners, stewards and the professionals, were gifted with foodstuff and other items by executives of the club.
Our reporter gathered that the event, held after the club’s midweek Kitty on Wednesday, is part of activities to mark the end of the year 2023.
In the one-day Kitty competition, organised by the club, J.O. Umoru playing off handicap 13 emerged the winner in the men’s category.
Umoru played a gross score of 45 over 9 holes to return a best net of 32.
Bose Nwoegbo, playing off handicap 13, emerged as the winner with a gross score of 47 over 9 holes to return a best net of 34 in the women’s category.
In the veteran’s category, Salis Usman was crowned the winner after he played 46 gross and returned 32 net.
Presenting the gifts to the beneficiaries, Captain of the Golf Club, Maj. Gen. Samson Jiya said the reward was driven by the value of the participant to the club over the past one year.
“The club was actually established sometime in 2017 and it’s been our passion and our desire to give to our caddies, our professional workers and the general workers of this esteemed club.
“To recognise them and to appreciate them for their trust, their sincerity and dedication to their duties.
“Members miss some items like their mobile phones, some other items and these less privileged boys and girls, in trust, bring those things back and we recognise them.
“So we just felt, as a duty from the club, we should reward them as a form of encouragement to them to do more,” Jiya said.
Also, the Lady captain of the Club, Ssgt (Staff Sergeant) Maureen Apute said the items would spur the recipients to contribute their quota tirelessly in the overall interest of the club.
“It’s a yearly event; aside from the club doing this, we still have individual members that reach out to the caddies, especially those who have performed extremely well.
“So it’s our normal routine that we do here.
“Asides that, now that they are on holidays, they come to the golf course to work; so it’s a way of us also showing the parents that their coming here is not a waste of time,” Apute said.
Some members of the golf club also hailed the gesture of the club management.
They described the incentives by the exco as a good policy to sustain the day-to-day running of the club’s activities.
Maj. Gen. Godwin Umelo (rtd) said that the awardees had worked tirelessly throughout the year to maintain a playable course for the golfers and, thus, deserved to be rewarded.
“You know, maintaining a golf course is not quite easy; a lot of things need to be done.
“The fairways need to be cut almost regularly, the greens need to be watered and there are other ancillary services that have to go on to make the club what it is supposed to be.
“I think this is the only way we can say thank you to them.
“It might not be much but they say it is not what is given that matters, it is the spirit behind it.
“This means that we actually appreciate their services and to encourage them so that, by next year, they will put in the best.
“They will put in more of their efforts knowing that, at the end of the year, whatever services they render will be appreciated and that is what is most important thing.
“Also, taking cognisance of the spirit of the season, we are in a celebratory mood.
“Times are hard and some people cannot even afford all the basic things at this time of the year; we felt, at least no matter how little, make them have something to commemorate this period,” Umelo said.
Air Commodore Joseph Adeleke (rtd) said the gesture was to encourage the recipients to work harder.
“Air Commandant Joseph Adeleke retired stressed that it was always good to recognise those that (who) have worked very well and hard.
“It’s a form of giving them a kick for a better tomorrow.
“When you recognise them, you put them in a position to want to work harder and improve on what they’ve done before.
“Everybody wants to be recognised but we recognise on a positive note,” Adeleke said.
Vice-Captain of the Club, Ali Peters, lauded the awardees for their hard work which had enabled the club to succeed both in the golf course and in the running of the club house.
“Some of them are caddies, they’ve helped us with our game.
“Some are cleaners who have been here also to make sure that the club house and the environment had been kept clean.
“Some are also the pros; they’ve been here to teach us and direct the game also.
“So we said let’s give back to people who are here; they are not as fortunate as some of us who are members.
“So we decided to give back to them, just a little token, to show appreciation to them.”
He said that the new executives of the club, which took over management four months ago, had done very well so far.
According to him, the club has had the privilege of hosting top dignitaries as well as organising major tournaments within the short period.
“We have tried to attract big tournaments here since the opening of our club house by the Grand Patron, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Lagbaja.
“We’ve had the 2023 Ladies Open where we had different lady players from different countries and all parts of Nigeria come and play.
“We’ve also had Maj. Gen. Godwin Umelo’s retirement Kitty as well as the 37 and 38 regular course retirement routine.
“In all, we’ve seen different dignitaries come here in the last three months.”
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