95-year-old golfer’s staying power thrills NGF

The Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF) has discovered a 95-year-old great-grandfather regarded as the country’s oldest active player of the game.

The NGF, led by Otunba  Olusegun Runsewe, presented London-based Pa James Olujobi Omolaso, after he had a few holes at IBB International Golf and Country, Club, Abuja.

Pa Omolaso, a 28-handicapper, who said he regularly plays at Greenwich Estuary Golf course near 02 Arena, London, was visiting Abuja from his base when he was discovered by NGF officials.

The nonagenarian disclosed that he has been playing the game for the past 35 years, adding that he feels stronger each time he plays.

“Normally, I do exercises, play and watch television and do pep talk with my children. I also watch Formula One, as well as flip to nearly all sports channels. Generally, I am interested in sports, because I was a sports person in my college in those days at Molusi College, Ijebu Igbo. I was one of the foundation members of the school,” Pa Omolaso said.

He advised people, who want to live long, against womanising, excessive drinking and drugs taking.

He also counseled Nigerians to regularly exercise and care for other people and tasked Nigerian professional golfers to work hard and exhibit confidence if they desired to be recognised internationally.

Earlier, Runsewe urged Nigerians to key into golf as it could be played at any age.

“Pa Omolaso is 95 and still comes on the course to play some few holes and make some putts. The fact that Baba has mental alertness and understands what golf is tells us that golf is an ageless game. Today he has demonstrated “that when you hit a good golf shot, your entire body chemistry communicates.
  
“I appeal to all Nigerians to disabuse their minds from that notion that golf is for the elite. Golf is for the living mind—anyone that is alive, golf is the right game to tap into. I screamed when I saw Baba and I resolved what we needed to do was bring him to the golf course,” the NGF president said.