By Maymunah Zubair
In a bid to rewrite the narrative of golf reporting in Nigeria and spotlight a sport that has long remained under-reported, the Lady Professional Golfers Association of Nigeria (LPGAN) hosted the 1st Annual Golf Reporting Skills Training, the first of its kind in the country.
The two-day programme brought together a unique blend of stakeholders: professional golfers, amateur and hobby players, young aspiring golfers, and journalists from broadcast, print, and radio platforms. With a goal to equip sports reporters with the knowledge, vocabulary, and confidence to accurately and compellingly report golf, the association aims to raise awareness of golf in the Nigerian sports ecosystem.
Despite the sport’s rapid growth, success stories, and a rising number of Nigerian golf professionals making waves across the world, golf coverage in Nigeria remains sparse. Football, athletics, and basketball dominate the headlines, leaving golf – particularly women’s golf – on the fringes of media reportage. LPGAN believes this training could be the game-changer.
“A Forward-Thinking Initiative”
Declaring the programme open, Dr. Elijah Ogbuokiri, President of the Chartered Institute of Development Studies and Administration of Nigeria, commended LPGAN for its vision and proactive drive. He described the training as an initiative that will set a new benchmark for sports journalism in Nigeria.
Dr. Ogbuokiri reiterated the importance of the programme’s objectives and expressed optimism that LPGAN would continue to grow in leaps and bounds.
Bridging the Visibility Gap in Golf
Delivering her remarks, Lady Pro Uloma Mbuko, CEO of LPGAN, spoke passionately about the association’s mission, not only to advance women’s golf but to empower women and girls through the sport, promote golfing careers among children, and project Nigeria as a contender in the global golf space.
According to her, while golf is a multi-billion-dollar industry worldwide with opportunities in branding, merchandising, tourism, investment, and professional sports, Nigerian golfers rarely enjoy visibility or recognition.
>“We realised the missing link was media representation,” she noted. “Golf lacks adequate reportage in Nigeria. Many Nigerians play professionally internationally, yet little is heard about them back home. We want to change that.”
Lady Pro Mbuko explained that the first step toward this change is capacity-building for sports journalists, ensuring they understand the game, use proper golf terminology, analyse gameplay correctly, and tell compelling golf stories that capture public interest.
Lady Pro Uloma Mbuko’s journey in golf is as inspiring as it is unconventional. Having taken up the sport at the age of 30, she has since become one of Nigeria’s most accomplished female golfers. A certified Golf Professional with the PGA of South Africa and an A-Class Golf Teaching Professional, she has represented Nigeria on the national team in 2004 and 2009. Widely regarded as Nigeria’s Best Female Player since 2004 and the Best West African Female Player since 2009, Mbuko is also the pioneer behind the establishment of the Lady Professional Golfers Association of Nigeria (LPGAN).
Goodwill Messages: Commendations and Hope
Delivering goodwill messages, top women golfers and respected administrators applauded LPGAN’s foresight.
Dame Julie Donli, representing the LPGAN Board of Trustees, lauded the CEO for what she described as an “impactful, necessary and long-overdue intervention.” As a golfer and Lady Captain at IBB Golf Club, she emphasised the importance of accurate media reporting in shaping perceptions and urged that the initiative become an annual tradition.
Similarly, Dr. Lami Ahmed, a past Lady Captain and incoming President of IBB Golf Club, praised LPGAN for pioneering the training. She expressed particular joy at the presence of young aspiring golfers, noting the importance of catching talents early and encouraging youth participation in a sport that builds discipline, confidence, and global exposure.
Training Highlights: From Classroom to the Course
The training featured seasoned facilitators, including pro golfers, sports journalists, etiquette instructors, and communication experts who took participants through; The basics and terminologies of golf; Golf rules and regulations; Storytelling in sports journalism; Understanding golf etiquette and dress code. Professional communication and reporting techniques.
The second day moved from theory to practice as participants hit a mini-course for hands-on experience. Journalists were paired with golfers to play, observe, and report on the game, culminating in a friendly competition. The winning team went home with awards, while all participants received certificates, marking the start of a new wave of skillful golf reporting in Nigeria.
A New Dawn for Golf Journalism
The LPGAN’s groundbreaking initiative could signal a paradigm shift in how golf – especially women’s golf, is perceived and reported in Nigeria. If sustained, experts believe it will improve public engagement, attract sponsorships, give women golfers long-overdue visibility, and inspire more children to take interest in the sport. With this maiden edition successfully concluded, hopes are high that the annual training will become a stable feature in Nigeria’s sports calendar, ushering in a new generation of informed golf storytellers and elevating golf to its rightful place in national sports discourse.
