In an effort to boost the sport of junior golf in Jamaica, Sandals Golf and Country Club will be staging the inaugural Sandals Golf and Jerk festival on Saturday, May 5, at their majestic golf course in Upton, St Ann.

The event will be a celebration of sports, food and culture, geared towards highlighting the benefits of the Sandals Junior Golf Programme and the development of young golfers, according to Miguel Arthurs, general manager of the Sandals Golf and Country Club.

The Sandals Golf and Jerk Festival will be staged alongside the Jamaica Golf Association Junior Golf Series Tournament on May 5, featuring the cream of the island’s junior golfers competing for the championship trophy.

The jerk festival aspect of the affair will feature 18 two-member teams, comprising sponsors as well as members of the public, preparing jerked products at all 18 holes of the golf course. The winning team will receive trophies along with prizes.

“We want to highlight the Sandals Foundation Junior Golf Programme and the outstanding role it has been playing in the development of young golfers,” Arthurs noted.

“Proceeds from the event will go directly to the programme and as such to the development of the sport in Jamaica.

“The event will coincide with the JGA Junior Golf Tournament here on that day and bring the spotlight squarely on the youngsters,” Arthurs added.

The Sandals Golf and Country Club boss revealed that the Sandals Golf and Jerk Festival will, however, be much more than just a tournament.

“We will be having 18 teams of jerkers competing, as well as sponsors branding and showcasing their products at each hole, in what is an interactive day’s programme,” hje explained.

The day’s event will also feature ‘Stroke Against Stroke’, a golf/physiotherapy partnership with the SGCC and the St Ann’s Bay Hospital physio department. There will also be a Kids Village featuring “Giffie the Golfer”, who is the SGCC mascot; a mini health fair; representatives from financial institutions offering financial advice; business counsellors and several other entities.

“We will also be showcasing members of the Appliance Traders Limited and Sandals Group, so the event promises to be a day to remember and one that we want the entire family to come out and attend,” Arthurs ended.