Karachi golfers ‘putting’ education first

KARACHI: The Karachi Golf Club (KGC) Karsaz played host to The Citizens Foundation’s (TCF) annual golf tournament on Sunday, complete with charged competitive golfing between high-profile teams and the customary donations to charity. Registration for playing in the event was Rs10,000 per player, with each individual registration paying for the education of one child for a full year.

“Today’s game is not just a victory for the golfers but a victory for education,” said KGC vice president Munsif Raza. “Three schools will receive support for a full year thanks to the cooperation between TCF and the golfers.”

This year’s tournament saw stiff competition between Bank Al Habib and Reckitt & Benckiser, with the former team eventually emerging victorious by day-end with a lead of 105 points to Reckitt & Benckiser’s 99. A coordinated effort between the Habib trio of Qumail R Habib, Mikaeel Habib and Imran Habib along with Adil Haji seemed to have made the winning difference.

In the ladies category, Sherin Khan managed to putt her way past Shahida Ismail to win the event. Other winners included Ali Imran (Junior category), Abdus Samed (Veteran category), Air Vice Marshal (Rtd) Attaur Rehman (Seniors category) and Muneer M Feroz (Amateurs category).  Of the subsidiary prizes, Brigadier (retd) Abdul Islam stunned the ambling afternoon crowd by scoring the day’s hole-in-one.

The long hours of strolling came to an end with a short ceremony to announce prize winners, followed by high-tea which, was a largely bland affair as many of the ‘executive golfers’ seemed in a hurry to head home and relax for the remaining hours of their day off.

Banter focused less on golf and more on the wedding season, business opportunities and at least two mentions of the fact that, “at least there is no smell of dead fish while golfing at this club.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2010.