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by S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen, Kandy South Group Correspondent

With the introduction of the domestic flights by sea plane for the transport of both local and foreign tourists, Victoria Golf Club and tourism in general in Sri Lanka should benefit immensely from it. This is a step forward towards developing tourism, said the Governor of the Central Province, Monty Gopallawa.

He was addressing a distinguished group of foreign tourists, golfers and others after opening of the newly constructed chalets at the picturesque Victoria Golf Club at Digana in Rajawella.

Before the commencement of the proceedings a gaily caparisoned elephant brought new corporate logo of the Victoria Golf Club which was launched that day and thereafter Governor Monty Gopallawa cut the ribbon to declare open the new Chalets which will be exclusively for the use of the golfers.

Speaking Governor Monty Gopallawa said that Victoria Reservoir runs on the perimeter of the Victoria Golf Course and the sea planes could land in close proximity to the course and the golfers could tee off immediately. Sea planes will be introduced for domestic flights very shortly and Victoria Golf Club is extremely fortunate in having the Victoria Reservoir as its neighbour which also helps to keep the turf green.

Governor Monty Gopallawa said that he has known the Director/General Manager of the Club Tony Witham as a steady cricketer who distinguished himself in this game and later became a planter in one of the finest estates in the island which he managed excellently. He has known Tony Witham for the last fifty years. Since taking over the club he has developed it beautifully with the locality and the local people have benefitted much as they have been provided with employment and also given the opportunity to be a part of the club.

Governor Monty Gopallawa recalled that he was in Parliament when this land was handed over for the construction of the Victoria Golf Club. At that time various opinions were expressed but today we can be happy that Victoria Golf Club allayed all these fears and is an asset to the region as well as the country as a large number of boys and girls have been gainfully employed and this is reflected from the happy faces that they are happy with their jobs.

The whole area has been now developed and he hoped with more tourists will come to the country. It is the high spending tourist who comes to play golf and not the tourist who comes to spend seven days.

Governor Monty Gopallawa in conclusion said that the club is moving in the correct direction by developing its chalets and also giving lands to others who would put up buildings and others who had invested in golf and with the introduction of sea planes more tourists will come into the Central Region and as Governor of Central Province he is happy that such vast development is taking place.

The local people have merged beautifully with the club and they are not only employed but also learning and playing golf as caddies an this is very important. The club has a team of young golfers and at the golf championship concluded that day, the youngsters have performed extremely well and we have a good future and with the Golf Club breaking into new areas, the area will get developed. Director/General Manager of the Club Tony Witham said that a lot of hard work has been put in during the past four to five years in constructing this golf course which is 6,879 yards Par 73 and had been designed by the world renowned golf architect Donald Steel from England. The undulating greens are challenging and rated among the best in the world by worlds leading golfers as the Victoria Reservoir is on three sides with mountains as backdrops. At its full championship Victoria's Par 73 layout has four par holes of which three are over 500 yards long.

There are four excellent par 3 holes ranging from the very short but the tricky fifth of 124 yards to the testing 210 yards, 13th hole, a great Par 3 by any standard.

Tony Witham continued that the locals have been provided with plenty of job opportunities and also those at one living in shacks within the golf course have been re-located in the perimeter by building them cottage type houses and donating them land. By this the housing problems of over a hundred local household has been solved.

Also gracing were former Cricket Board President now with the Golf Union, Ana Punchihewa, CEO Victoria Golf Club, Priath Fernando, Mrs. Janine Weeratunga (Club Secretary) and Marketing Co-ordinator, Lalindra Ranaweera.

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