---

One of life's greatest truisms says that if you are not changing and growing, and are simply standing still, that in reality you are moving backwards.

It's as true in golf as in any of life's endeavours.

In Bermuda, both amateur and professional golf are working hard to change.

Just this past week, the professional side of golf introduced a Bermuda Tour, which I gather will be a series of events played on Mondays, each with a small purse attached to it.

That each event's purse is small is not so important - what is important is that the Bermuda Tour represents progress.

For far too long, professional golfers in Bermuda have had very little to inspire them.

Sure, there is a Bermuda Open and a Goslings Invitational, and even some Bermuda Professional Golfers Association events every now and again, but nothing on a regular basis.

In order to sharpen one's golfing skills, competitive golfers need to have a regular programme of competition available, which is exactly what the Bermuda Tour should bring to the table.

I think it is great and I hope the organizers of the Bermuda Tour will be able to grow the purse sizes as they move the programme forward.

There is a similar move to bring about change within the ranks of amateur golf in Bermuda.

Just recently, a new event was played which pitted teams of men and women against one another in an Eisenhower Trophy style of play.

Teams of four men, with the best three scores to count, and teams of three women, with the best two scores to count, played for the honour of winning the inaugural BGA Team Medal Championship.

Both divisions were won by the BGA which suggests that the various clubs may not have put forward their strongest teams. Hopefully, going forward, the clubs will look at this event as the benchmark in Bermuda as to which clubs are the Kings and Queens of Bermuda golf.

Another new event in the planning stages is the Fairmont Southampton National Par 3 Tournament.

I understand that this event will be open to amateurs and professionals alike and is scheduled to take place April 10 and 11, which is Master's weekend.

If you are a golfer, this should be a weekend to remember. Great golf at Fairmont Southampton, food and drink, and rumours of a Hole-in-One fund raiser to boot. Does it get any better than that?

There is much to look forward to in Bermuda golf with one of Bermuda's premier events fast approaching, the Bermuda Amateur Match Play Championship.

This event has traditionally been held at The Mid Ocean Club and is scheduled to be played March 8-13.

The week-long event is indeed a strenuous test of golf, and will require the winner to not only be an able player, but also to be physically fit and strong of mind. If you haven't already entered, you'd better do so quickly.

[[In-content Ad]]

---