Davao golfers, both juniors and seniors, teed off last Saturday morning at the Apo Golf and Country Club at the start of the Kadayawan Golf Cup 2010 bearing the theme “Celebrating Davao Festival on the Fairways of Apo Golf!”
Still in its second year, the two-day Kadayawan Golf Cup (August 7-8), was organized by the Golf Mix, a Manila-based golf marketing company of golf professionals operating nationwide, in partnership with the Apo Golf and Country Club. Chris Guerrero, event director and managing director of Golf Mix, said the competition is an open invitation with different divisions.
The competition features two players each team which may fall under any of the seniors, ladies, juniors, class A, B, and C divisions. Guerrero said this year had a more interesting format and more enjoyable way of playing. This also provided a bonding experience among family members and friends because a tandem could be father (professional) and son (junior), according to Hazel Soriaga, project manager of Kadawayan Golf Cup.
Soriaga said staging a golf competition during the Kadayawan Festival helps promote the city and the festival to tourists. “They will have a reason to visit Davao City because of their interest in golf. This way, they also get to witness the Kadayawan Festival and visit tourism destinations of the city as well,” she said.
Golf Mix and the Apo Golf and Country Club are consciously making golf accessible to the community. “It’s more evident here in Davao where the rates are affordable, especially with the programs that Apo Golf implements,” he said.
“While it’s true that it is an expensive sport, Apo Golf finds ways to make it accessible to all social classes. It has programs to support caddies. There are events that caddies can play in tournaments,” Soriaga said.
“Golf mix provides best instructions for players, especially to beginners,” Guerrero said, “We also have swing checks or free lessons which could be availed of by someone who is related to the player.”
Having 60 teams or 120 players on the first day, the Kadawayan Golf Cup organizers expected to reach about 100 participants. General manager of Apo Golf and Country Club, Martin Misa, said most of the players were not members of the club.
