Captain of Ibadan Golf Club, Mr Seyi Alaba, has urged sports writers to play golf and also report the game.

Speaking on Tuesday at the symposium/lecture and award ceremony organised by the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Oyo State Chapter, he said the initiative aims to foster a deeper understanding of golf, enhance reporting quality, and promote the sport among a broader audience.

At the lecture tagged; ‘Accurate Reportage of Golf’ held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Iyaganku Ibadan. Mr Alaba encouraged sports journalists to do more research on golf and play the game to exercise and unwind.

Mr Alaba also revealed that the role of press in the coverage of sporting event and golf in particular, can not be over emphasised, saying the media should do more to promote golf in Nigeria. “Golf is more than just a game; it's a unique blend of skill, strategy, and sportsmanship. "By encouraging sports writers to play, we hope they can gain insight into the challenges of the game, which will ultimately enrich their reporting" he said. 

Speaking on the challenges of golf, Mr Alaba highlighted modern development as one of the environmental challenges, as people who do not understand the importance of a golf course in modern society would prefer to sell it off for development instead of enjoying the availability of a course within the city.

He also spoke on the cost of maintaining a golf course as the reason for high cost of entry and subscriptions for new members who wish to join a golf club. 

He noted that the media has helped golf's popularity grow in Nigeria by providing a way for players to share their stories and connect with fans. “Golf media coverage includes TV, online streaming, websites, magazines, and audio. Various Golf clubs now also make use of social media to engage with fans. Golf has become an increasingly popular sport in the past century and media can credit itself for the substantial impact on this old sport."

"In Nigeria most of the sport journalists do not really have keen interest in the game of golf and the role of press and their coverage cannot be overemphasized let's partner with any gold club in our locality to report activities."

Furthering his quest to "win souls for golf" Mr Alaba explained the types of clubs used in golf and their primary uses on the course. According to Mr Alaba, "golf is a club and ball sport and players can have a maximum of (14) clubs in their bag."

He also explained the culture of golf players, dressing suitable for playing the sports as both an amateur or a professional player and the importance of maintaining those rules irrespective of your standing outside of the course, "The rules keep evolving and players must be current" he said. 

Chairman of Oyo SWAN, Mr Ayomiku Ajibola and the chairman, Local Organising Committee, Mr Samson Akindele, thanked members present at the event, and charged them to be up and doing in reporting other sports instead of the focus on football.