LAHORE - History is in the making here at Defence Raya Golf and Country Club, where the 1st PGF International Ladies Amateur Golf Championship
kicks off today (Friday).It is largely due to the efforts of PGF Ladies Golf Chairperson Dr Asma Afzal Shami who reached out to her counterparts abroad, subjected
them to a highly effective ‘charm offensive’ and finally won them over by her dogged persistence, that Thailand,
Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Iran, Uganda,
Afghanistan and Qatar are participating
in this championship. This was acknowledged by almost all the team managers in their remarks at the end of a briefing session on ‘golf rules’ conducted by Chief Referee Col Zahid for all golfers last evening. PGF President Gen Hilal also echoed similar
sentiments while concluding this session. The stage is now set for the start of this historic event, which is destined
to firmly put Pakistan on the world’s ladies golfing map. A ‘battle royale’ is likely to be witnessed today
(Friday) among three scratch players, namely Tanya of Sri Lanka and Phannari and Chanettee, both from Thailand. Other notable performers
are expected to be Pakistan’s
Aania and Humna, who are both handicapped 2 and the three handicapped 3 golfers, i.e. Kayla (Sri Lanka), Lana (Malaysia) and Maisarah (Malaysia). It needs to be mentioned here that all the planning and preparations
for this unique event have been made entirely by a team of dedicated women golfers. Dr Shami has chaired all the meetings with representatives of the Police, DHA, Defence Raya and FIA to coordinate security arrangements for the foreign
guests. Similarly, Tournament Director Mrs Sher Bano Hamdani supervised the display of posters, buntings and flags, finalised the pin positions and made the flights for today’s opening session. Mrs Maimoona Azam has put in herculean efforts to ‘balance the budget,’ while Mrs Bela Azam and Mrs Shehnaz Moin are organising and sponsoring the golf dinner and musical evening on Feb 22. Similarly, Mrs Ayesha Hamid and Mrs Iffat Zara have won the hearts of the foreign guests by according them warm welcome. This team, with self confidence, administrative
skills and sense of responsibility,
has displayed the ability to conceive, plan and organise this major international event the like of which has never been seen before
in Pakistan. This then is the new face of Pakistani women - they are ‘WOMEN ON THE GO’, they are ‘WOMEN AT THEIR