Chudi Ubosi- MD, Ubosi Eleh & Co/past captain of ikeja golf club, Lanre Opakunle- GM, Independent Power Project of Lafarge WAPCO Cement, Ted Iwere- MD, Daily Independence/captain of Ikoyi Club 1938 (golf section) and Bose Ransom-Kuti were the speakers who shared thoughts on business and life from the eye of golf, at The Executive Breakfast with Golf, which held at Golfview Hotel & Suites on the 20th of September.
They all took time to deal with the subject matter of how the rules, etiquettes, ethics and everyday experience can be applied in business and personal lives. The past captain of Ikeja Golf Club, Chudi, in his speech specifically touched the health benefits of playing the game and marshaled his points in making a case for the encouragement of young people to come into the game. “Golf is the only game you can play from 2 years till you a century old. Forget all the aerobics, the best form of exercise available to humans remains walking, which is what golf offers you on a platter of gold” he asserted. He also added that he doesn’t bother differentiating among golf, business and life, because there is practically no difference among them.
Opakunle excoriated the notion that golf is a lazy man’s game, citing the example of his two sons who are very much involved in vigorous sports including American soccer and basketball and were always referring to golf as a lazy man’s game until they took a walk with him on a golf course and just a hole after the front 9, they complained of tiredness. From that moment, according to him, they respected and loved the game, got involved and started playing for their schools.
Ransom-Kuti, immediate past lady-captain of Ikeja Golf Club dwelt on the importance of honesty and accountability in business and life as loudly ‘preached’ by the royal and ancient game of golf. She also encouraged the ladies in the audience to get involved in the game, using her fitness, elegant look and poise at her age as an example of the beauty of the game which reflects on its players. The ladies were proud to be a woman when they saw Ransom-Kuti walk the talk only some minutes after, when she beat the men to it by winning ‘The Great Putt’ challenge, an indoor putting contest devised to give the event more golfing outlook.
She also unveiled ‘Golf for the Marketplace’, a non-instructional compendium that explores practical application of golf rules/ethics/etiquettes and everyday experience on the golf course unto personal and business life success- authored by Deji Ajomale-McWord. In her presentation, she commended the graphical aesthetic and print quality of the book, adding that, though, she was yet to have a full read of the piece, she had gone through it and seen some of the things written it and they are confirmed ‘check’.
Iwere also buttressed what other speakers said and gave kudos to the organizers of the event for creating a platform that explores the beauty of the game.
Speaking on the idea behind the event, Deji Ajomale-McWord, Executive Director of The Executive Golf Hub/The Executive Breakfast with Golf said that “the platform was berth to popularize the game and bring out the beauty of the game for all to leverage on. Golf is actually not another sport, it is another form of art which mirrors life and those that live it. After releasing ‘Golf For The Marketplace’, I said to myself: if you could do such a great piece at your age; there are out there thought leaders- men and ladies- who have seen life more than you have, done business successfully more than you have and play better golf for more years than you have- why not bring them together on a platform, to share thoughts on the subject matter. And that was how The Executive Breakfast with Golf was conceived. Every year, we shall bring top golfing executives to talk business and life from the eye of golf. The event is part of the activities of The Executive Golf Hub, a network of golfing executives in Nigeria and beyond”.