Samoa’s inaugural golf club championship will be held over two days next month with the winning club taking home $3,000 in prize money as well as competition honours.

The tournament is the first of its kind as it will see golf clubs from the two main courses in Samoa – Royal Samoa Country Golf Club and Faleata Golf Course, Faleata – go head-to-head to decide the champion club.

The inaugural tournament will be called the Taula Samoa golf Clubs Championship 2021 and is the brainchild of the Marist BIG Golf Club and the local company Taula Beverages Co. Ltd.

The tournament was formally launched on Thursday with the Marist BIG Golf Club Vice Captain, Fepuleai Falani Tupuola saying the new tournament is similar to their Marist Sevens Rugby Tournament.

“We normally host the Twilight Golf Series to make use of Daylight Savings. But this time we have come up with a new tournament to determine the top golf club in Samoa, similar to our Marist Sevens Rugby Tournament,” Fepuleai said in a statement released by Marist BIG.

“We want to involve all the golf clubs in Samoa. 

“We also want the participants to feel like they are playing at an international event by having a proper launch, strict adherence to the golf rules/etiquette as well as having cocktails after each playing day. 

“Plus, the winning club will take home $3,000 cash plus the trophy.”

The junior golf development programs at both Fagalii and Faleata are looking at entering a combined team to compete against the adults, says the Marist BIG statement.

Bob Maifea Malase, who is a Marist BIG pro training the juniors at Faleata, says he is excited about the new tournament.

“Our juniors need to be exposed to tournaments if they are to develop their game,” he said in the statement. 

“Also, involving the juniors will give them the opportunity to know each other better and help when they represent Samoa in the future.”

Enele Westerlund, the General Manager of Taula Beverages whose company has the naming rights to the inaugural tournament, said they are pleased to be partnering with Marist BIG. 

“We have the pleasure and privilege of partnering up with Marist BIG again on something new,” he said.

“We look forward to being a part of this event and supporting the drive to develop this sport further at the grassroot level.”

All proceeds raised throughout the duration of the tournament will go towards supporting the Taxi Junior Golf Development Program at Faleata, added the Marist BIG statement.