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My First Travel: 'Virginia's Landdown Golf Resort Blew My Mind' In a historical first, the Apagun of Egbaland and proprietor of Abeoukuta Golf Club, Oluwole Olumide paid a visit several years ago to Landdowm Golf resort in the United States. Over the years he has spent about N83 million developing a brand new Abeokuta Golf Course, an 18-hole golf course designed to suit the lifestyle of those in need of countryside leisure. He tells Justina Okpanku he is geared up for travel as he tries to learn of other properties as well as concentrate on his mission to train gofers on his Golf Academy
"I have been traveling because I have facilities all over the world. I studied Architecture and in the course of doing that I travel. I have travelled to the US, Europe and I see a lot of facilities. If you are doing golf you need to go round and see what is happening beyond the shores. I use my travel to gather knowledge because I have to see many golf courses.
I would like to mention one in Birmingham, United Kingdom called Bevery. No no no, let me pick one in the United States. What's the name again Eh eh eh! Yes, Landdown Golf Resort in Virginia. ( I believe that is the name). They have everything in that complex from university to eco-tourism facility. During my first travel I love what they do there. That is what we want to replicate in Abeokuta because we have botanical garden, mini zoo. And by the time we finish, we will have everything in that complex. We are building our hotel now in the club. We are also building a lake running across the golf course. We are building our horse riding track because we want our children to be riding on horseback when they are on holiday. We thank God for what we have been able to do with golf vis-a-vis tourism in Abeokuta. We have the old Golf Course set up by Ogun State government into a golf holiday, and that was the first time government will use golf as vehicle to develop tourism in the state. We thank God we are getting positive responses from people. In fact, every time we are playing tournament there people will want to come. Abeokuta Golf Course is a wonderful place surrounded by undulating hills, fantastic environment. It is the only golf course in Africa that if you stand on a hill , you can see the whole of the 18-hole golf course. Our people are happy about what we are doing. Our Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel (Ogun State Governor) has commended us. On why I developed the site, I give credit to one of our former governors, Real Admiral Oladeinde Joseph, who was the first in 1991 to call me to say "develop your community and you have to get my support." Now, we have Golf Academy and by the time we give you lecture you can go and play. You will play by the rule and get lots of benefits. Golf is good for health and it teaches etiquette. You must be mentally alert and you must be physically okay!" |
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