“When I see a golf course, I will see more than 18 holes. I will see tourism. I will see hospitality. I will see business. I will see technology. I will see media. I will see entrepreneurship. I will see careers.
“And I will see opportunities.”

That is an extract of a pledge by participants of the Caddie Ambassadors and Youth Development Programme at the inaugural Africa Golf Tourism Convention in the city of Ekurhuleni, Gauteng Province, South Africa

For the participants, the pledge is a commitment to look beyond the golf course and recognise the economic opportunities that can emerge around the sport.

I am in the city that is east of Johannesburg, where the four-day Africa Golf Tourism Convention is bringing together players from the golf, tourism, hospitality, and business sectors.

At the Radisson Hotel, caddies gathered together with young people interested in golf, tourism, trade, and entrepreneurship for the development programme.

At the end of the programme, participants were presented with certificates for completing the training. Among them was Thomas Masetle, who teaches children how to play golf.

He says the programme has changed the way he views the sport, opening his eyes to opportunities that extend far beyond playing golf.

Another participant, Simon Janki-Andile, is a caddie, psychology graduate, and musician. For him, golf has been transformative. He says the sport has exposed him to opportunities he never imagined and given him a different perspective on what is possible within the golf industry.

Breaking the Silos

The four-day inaugural Africa Golf Tourism Convention, being held from August 18 to 21, is designed to connect Africa’s golf, tourism, hospitality, and trade sectors and create a more unified marketplace by connecting Africa’s golf, tourism, hospitality, and trade sectors.

By bringing these industries together on one platform, the organisers hope to break down the silos that have traditionally limited collaboration, unlock new investment opportunities, and build stronger connections across the continent’s tourism value chain.

Beyond creating business connections, the convention is also placing a strong emphasis on people and skills development, particularly among young Africans.

By exposing young people to opportunities beyond playing golf, the organisers hope to equip a new generation to participate in the wider industry. This includes hospitality and tourism to media, technology, events, and entrepreneurship, which they hope will turn the sport into a pathway to careers and livelihoods.

‘Golf can help tackle unemployment’

Neo Peete, founder of the women-led Africa Golf Tourism Convention, believes the sport can become an important vehicle for economic development.

Her own journey into golf began unexpectedly.

Ten years ago, she was invited to help at a fundraising event. What started as a one-day experience eventually developed into a deep interest in the sport and, later, the organisation of her own golf tournaments.

“Ten years ago, it was a fundraiser, and I was asked to come and help for the day. I was there and I loved it. I liked the environment and everything I was seeing, and I started asking questions. I really immersed myself so that I could get as much information as possible, and, lo and behold, I was running my own golf tournaments later."

That experience shaped her belief that Africa has yet to fully unlock the potential of its golf and tourism industries.

She argues that the continent has often marketed its tourism and golf assets separately, rather than presenting them as part of one interconnected industry.

She says the Africa Golf Tourism Convention is designed to change that by bringing the various sectors together and allowing Africa to collectively tell its own story to investors and travellers.

‘Look beyond the golf course’

For Gisele Masengo, Co-Founder and Exhibition Director of the convention, the economic opportunities are visible well beyond the golf course.

She says young Africans should not limit themselves to becoming golfers but should consider the many businesses and careers that can be built around the sport.

“I know unemployment rates are high, but just look at golf, transport, hospitality, restaurants, technology, and events. How many people can we employ? How many jobs can we create? We definitely can become bosses, right?”

She said a golfer needs transport, a visitor needs accommodation. Hotels need staff.

Golf tournaments need event managers, marketers, technology providers. Restaurants need suppliers and workers. And the entire tourism ecosystem requires entrepreneurs to create and manage businesses. For the organisers, each of those needs represents a potential job or business opportunity.

Ekurhuleni sees investment potential

The City of Ekurhuleni has also backed the Africa Golf Tourism Convention, seeing it as an opportunity to showcase the city’s golf courses, infrastructure, hospitality industry, and investment potential.

Executive Mayor Alderman Nkosindiphile Doctor Xhakaza says the convention provides a platform to put Ekurhuleni on the map as a destination for investment and tourism.

From the golf course to the economy

The organisers of the Africa Tourism Convention believe the potential for golf is there. But unlocking it will require investment, stronger partnerships between the golf and tourism sectors, skills development, and a deliberate effort to make the industry more accessible to young people.

For the participants who took the pledge in Ekurhuleni, however, the first step is changing the way people see the game. Because when they see a golf course, they are being encouraged not to see only 18 holes.

They are being encouraged to see tourism, hospitality, business, technology, media, entrepreneurship, careers, and opportunity.