Nepal Golf Association (NGA) on Sunday announced the launching of junior golf development project, the CMS Junior Golf Development Programme, in three locations. 

In association with the International Society of Medical Education (ISME), the 43-week trainings-cum-tournament programme will be held in three golf course in Kathmandu, Dharan and Pokhara. 

The programme targets junior golfers aged below 16 years of age. The ISME is the main sponsor of the programme. NGA President Tashi Ghale and ISME Chairman Nagendra Pampati signed the memorandum of understanding here on Sunday. 

“We are targeting underprivileged and talented young golfers. Open for both boys and girls, all participants will get free coaching sessions, golf kits and any other necessary assistance for golfing during the programme,” said Deepak Acharya, the development committee chairman of NGA. 

At least 30 golfers will be picked up for training in Pokhara and Dharan, while there will be around 50 more juniors training in Kathmandu. NGA will assign its coaches for the programme in all three golf courses. The golf governing body of the country will also conduct three tournaments within the training period in Pokhara and Dharan along with four in Kathmandu. The best players identified from the project will be selected for a national-level tournament with a selected few also in line for abroad training, informed the NGA.  

Ghale said the objective of the project was to groom young golfers. “We are also planning to send some promising players abroad for training. If we succeed in giving continuity to the programme, we can hope to produce golfers who can compete in level terms with South Asian nations in a decade,” Ghale shared. ISME Chairman Pampati said he chose to sponsor the junior initiative because as a golf enthusiast he wants Nepali golf to grow. “I hope this training programme will bring some good results in future,” Pampati shared.

The expected cost of the programme is Rs 2 million.