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GOLF
TEACHING PRO MAGAZINE®
Trinidad & Tobago’s Golf Future Looks Bright
When most people
think of Trinidad & Tobago in golf terms, they think mainly of
Stephen Ames, the successful touring professional from that country.
After Team Caribbean’s victory in the World Golf Teachers Cup, and
with what several USGTF members are doing with junior golf, it might
not be long before Trinidad & Tobago are known for a slew of
outstanding golfers.
 Anthony
Benny, Ricky Campbell, and World Golf Teachers Cup individual
champion Christopher Richards all hail from the island nation just
off the coast of Venezuela. All three had a hand in helping Team
Caribbean to its first championship, along with Curacao’s Herbert
Con, Puerto Rico’s Miguel Suarez, and St. Lucia’s Tim Mangal.
Recently,USGTF
president Geoff Bryant, national course director Mark Harman,
membership services’ Robert Kleabir, and USGTF professional Charlie
Whitney visited the island of Trinidad, where they met up with
Benny, Campbell, and Richards. Perhaps more so in Trinidad than in
other countries, juniors are definitely the future of the sport.
“Golf is perceived as
an elitist sport here,” said Campbell, “and we are trying hard to
break that barrier. Our junior programs are developing slowly but
surely, and there is a bright future for junior golf in Trinidad.”
After a round of golf
with his American counterparts, Benny conducted one of his junior
clinics at St.Andrews Golf Club,where he is the head teaching
professional.Several dozen kids came out to receive instruction from
Benny,who was also formerly the coach of Trinidad’s national junior
team.This past year, the junior team emerged victorious in the
Caribbean Junior Amateur Golf Championships, held in Antigua.
Richards also is
heavily involved with juniors, as he serves with the Trinidad &
Tobago Golf Association’s junior development program.When he is not
acting in that capacity,he can be found teaching at Chaguaramas Golf
Club. Richards’ game has also taken an upward swing the last two
years, with his strong play in the US and World Golf Teachers Cups.
“I would say that the
USGTF certification course took four strokes off my game,” remarked
Richards. As for winning the individual world championship of the
WGTF, he said,“It feels fantastic.” Prior to becoming a
professional, Richards also had some success as an amateur, winning
several prestigious titles in the 1980’s.
Campbell is the head
teaching professional at Millennium Lakes Golf & Country Club, a
fine championship course located near the largest mall in the
Caribbean. He gives a minimum of six lessons per day, and his story
is a testament to what USGTF certification, combined with a desire
to succeed, can produce.
Campbell moved to
Trinidad from Tobago four years ago, and golf wasn’t “even on the
agenda,” according to Campbell. But, he started giving lessons for
free at Queen’s Park in Savanah in Port of Spain, where he ran into
Benny, who urged him to get certified. Upon his return from the US,
Campbell, with the help of Ashraph Ali,president of the Trinidad &
Tobago Golf Association, landed the position he currently holds at
Millennium Lakes.During one of their visits with Campbell,the
Americans witnessed over 100…yes, 100…people attending one of
Campbell’s free night clinics. Needless to say, the turnout was very
impressive.
Benny is perhaps the
most ardent proponent of junior golf in Trinidad. He makes it a
point of emphasis to teach kids and to give his time whenever he
can.He is also an advocate for the USGTF, and was instrumental in
getting the various pros in Trinidad certified with our
organization. Shortly after the visit of Bryant, Harman, Kleabir and
Whitney, USGTF national coordinator Bob Wyatt traveled to Trinidad
to conduct the first USGTF certification course held in that
country.
While Trinidad &
Tobago may not be perceived as a golf powerhouse in terms of the
number of tour players, it can be called exactly that in terms of
the quality of its USGTF teaching professionals.
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