GALLERY: Unlocking Ilembe’s golf tourism potential
A few of the celebrities who attended included SuperGolf anchor, Richard Maspero; professional golfer and international golf course designer Peter Matkovich and professional golfer and golf personality extradonaire Simon Hobday.
Ilembe’s sunny skies and beautiful golf courses played host to an array of both national and international golfers at the Ilembe Chamber‘s golf challenge held on June 1 and 2, aimed specifically at creating and growing a new market for golf tourism.
The two day event, sponsored by Virgin Active, Vodacom Business KZN, Lifestyle shopping centre and The North Coast Courier, showcased four golf courses in the Ilembe district, including Zimbali country club, Prince’s Grant, Simbithi country club and Umhlali country club. Adding to the excitement, the event welcomed a celebrity component to the mix.
A few of the celebrities who attended included SuperGolf anchor, Richard Maspero; professional golfer and international golf course designer Peter Matkovich and professional golfer and golf personality extradonaire Simon Hobday.
The celebrity leg was won by Umhlali Country Club’s Simon Hobday and Derick Reinke while the team from Gerhard Breedt Architects (101 points) made up of Roelof Jansen van Vuuren, Dean Scheaffer and Ryan Reynolds won the Vodacom Virgin Active Lifestyle Challenge 2016 the following day.
The took home a weekend stay at the five star resort hotel of the Fairmont Zimbali.
Adding to the excitement, it was announced that Ilembe will host the International Tour Operators Challenge (ITOC), scheduled to take place in December.
Initiative by Ascot Tours, Golf KZN with the support of the Ilembe Chamber the event will feature Ilembe district’s four tourist ready golf courses as well as the iconic Durban Country Club and will host 10 international golf teams from various European locations. The ITOC has already secured the partnership support of Turkish Airlines, the Fairmont Zimbali Resort & Hotel, Louis Oosthuizen’s Major Golf Wines and given golfers something to look forward to.
Ilembe Chamber CEO Cobus Oelofse, said “The event will use golf as a vehicle to raise the profile of KZN and the Ilembe District, as a world class golf, tourism and lifestyle destination.”
Any business interested in partnering with the event should contact Mike McNamara from Golf KZN on 082 924 5774 or Cobus Oelofse at the Ilembe Chamber.
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