By Simba Jemwa
Millennials are on track to overtake all other age demographics as the largest market share in golf and brands can position themselves to take advantage of the potential influx of new consumers.
Philip Tshuma is one pro golfer drawing and coaching school boys and girls .
Millennial golfers are breathing life into the sport despite the Covid pandemic closing down most sporting activities for the last two years or so.
There has been a steady stream of uptake in the sport of golf over the years thanks to intiatives like pro golfer, Tshuma school-based development program based at Bulawayo and Hwange Golf Clubs that seeks to introduce the sport to new players as young as 12 years old from across the Matabeleland region. In addition to this, there has been an increase in young adults aged 18 to 39, with scores of additional millennials expressing interest in taking up the game.
This increase has millennials on track to overtake all other age groups as the largest market share in the sport, and many in the industry have taken note. To be sure, millennials are not as interested in spending five hours on a golf course playing the sport the traditional way. But they want to play golf!
In Zimbabwe like every else in the world, golf s considered an elitist sport. But Tshuma has been fighting to cleanse the sport of thi notion among the general public. He has managed to place Mzilikazi High School (a Government school in the high density surburbs) golfers with their peers from trust schools like Christian Brothers College and Girls College with only aim in mind: to learn how to play golf and have fn while at it.
“I love this sport but it pains me to see that very young golfers are coming through the ranks. We dont have enough school going golfers for us to be confidednt of the numbers growing on the pro circuit,” Tshuma told Ezemidlalo.
“But with teh help of people like local businesman, Tony Nembaware and Zimbabwe Golf Association President, Martin Chikwana, I have been able to get going with a dveleopment program. I coach in Hwange and Bulawayo but all things being equal I would like to go beyond these two centres. I want at least one school in every cluster across the Matabeleland region to have few sets of golf clubs and a driving range,” said Tshuma.
