The shame that’s Captain, Chairman's prize events

At the end of every year, golf clubs across the country, perhaps the world, stage their Chairman’s and Captain’s Prizes. These events ordinarily mark the end of the term of the outgoing Chairman, Lady Captain or Golf Captain.

Ironically, instead of the members celebrating their long suffering Chairman or Captain, these volunteer leaders are then expected to raise funds to throw a party for the said members! In my days as Captain, nearly 15 years ago – I served alongside gentlemen like Yasin Awale in Limuru, Charles Mwaniki in Nyeri, Toni Sahni in Sigona, SG Mwaniki in Muthaiga and others - we too were expected to put on a show; members expected exception prizes. I remember having a double door fridge as the top prize at my event, plenty of food, an open bar (simply means free booze) and a one man guitar of note! In those days, this stuff still cost a fortune and you either had your own money as a Captain or Chairman or went around to your friends and family, perhaps a few corporate sponsors and solicited funds to entertain the very members who should have been entertaining you, thanking you.

I didn’t have any of my own money and I went begging bowl in hand to HotPoint Appliances who provided me with prizes to die for – including the double door fridge – I sought assistance from Peter Kenneth, William Kabogo and other prominent Thika town personalities to donate to the event. Ultimately I was able to save face and throw a good party, or so I think.

I attended many Captain’s Prize events back in the day, and you could see the pain on the faces of Chairmen (including Chair-ladies) and Captains who had to sell their souls to entertain members.

Today, the situation is far worse for these gentlemen and ladies, who serve members for a whole year or two and are then expected to have the funds and energy to prepare a feast. This year, I have seen wonders, I guess we all have. Did any of you see the billboard erected to announce a Captain’s Prize? WOW! A billboard! Now, I can imagine that the sponsor wanted maximum exposure for their participation, but a billboard? How about a donation to the Junior Golf programme at that particular club? How about new shoes, Bata Bullets for the caddies who work tirelessly day in and day out? How about a Christmas bonus for the club staff who work around the golf course?

I also saw posters for full-blown concerts at another club, and quick guesswork mathematics on my part estimated that that particular show would cost upwards of Sh3 million at the very least! It has become the norm to see huge dome tents, which cost over Sh1 million daily erected at Captain Prize events!

Now, as a club member, consuming goodies from my Chairman and Captain, why should I care? Why should you care? Let me tell you why the golfing fraternity should be worried about this trend in the staging of big Chairman and especially Captain’s Prizes. Very soon, if it hasn’t already happened, those willing and able to SERVE, and I put that word in caps on purpose, will shy away from taking up leadership roles at our clubs. They will decline our offers for leadership simply because at the end of their term, we will expect them to spend Sh2 million to Sh3 million to entertain us! The criteria for becoming a club Chairman or Captain will no longer be the willingness to SERVE, or the ABILITY to SERVE it will be “how deep are your pockets?” Can you throw a good party at the end of the year? Do you have a network of friends who can support you?

Every year, and after the dust of these extravagant and totally unnecessary events has settled, what you and I don’t see are the bills left over. Many Chairmen and Captains continue paying off the debts accrued from these parties long after they leave office, crying silently by themselves. Their privileged position in the club long gone, their reserved parking spot now occupied by another, their reserved prime tee time now the preserve of the next sufferer!

If the current trend of these events continues, I reckon a Captain will bring in Kenny Rogers to perform, fly in the best Champagne from France and Kobe beef from Tokyo!

To all Chairman and Captains finishing their terms, well done, and to my fellow golfers, shame on us for putting these unreasonable expectations on the men and women who serve us diligently throughout the year.