The establishment of South Africa's first golf industry umbrella body, Business of Golf South Africa (BGSA), is gaining momentum following the appointment of golf course developer Michael Wilson as project manager.

The establishment of South Africa's first golf industry umbrella body, Business of Golf South Africa (BGSA), is gaining momentum following the appointment of golf course developer Michael Wilson as project manager.

Wilson will be spending the next few months gathering mainly financial support to ensure the effective establishment of the body as an authoritative representation of all aspects of the golf industry.

"The basic structures of the organisation are already in place. We have the support of the Professional Golfers Association of South Africa, South African Tourism and other related bodies. The next step is to garner the necessary financial support from golf developers and related businesses," said Wilson.

South African Tourism general manager of events Sugen Pillay said the formation of the BGSA was a great step towards building a stronger golf tourism foundation for South Africa. "Golf tourism has become one of the strongest tourism drawcards in the world and South Africa needs to market itself aggressively in this sector. The BGSA will be in the ideal position to work with organisations such as South African Tourism to realise the country's potential as a golf destination," said Pillay.

Wilson said it was essential that golf developers buy into the BGSA to ensure that it would become a strong force to reckon with. "It is not just about dealing with government and issues surrounding development, it is also about responsible self-regulation and social responsibility. This body wants to ensure that all aspects of the industry are addressed with one voice," Wilson said.

Organisations or individuals wanting to financially support the BGSA can contact Wilson at michael@wilpro.co.za or +27 (0)82-893-1176. - Sapa