Singapore: Golf continues to provide Nepalese duo Tanka Karki and Sukra Rai with the opportunity to improve their lives.
Thanks to support from The R&A, Karki and Rai recently embarked on an eye-opening trip to Malaysia and Singapore.
Having competed at the Malaysian Amateur Open and Saujana Amateur in Kuala Lumpur, Karki and Rai spent a week training in Singapore under the watchful guidance of Kim Baldwin, Senior Professional of the MST Academy at Seletar Country Club.
Baldwin has been travelling to Nepal since 2013 under the R&A’s Working for Golf programme to assist with the development of the game in the South Asian sovereign state.
With the two players competing in Malaysia, the opportunity to spend an intensive week in Singapore was too good to miss, according to Tashi Ghale, the Nepal Golf Association’s Secretary-General.
As well as undertaking a K-Vest 6D analysis, the duo used TrackMan to test their wedge play skills.
Citing Karki’s opening-round 71 at Saujana, Baldwin said that ‘slow but steady progress has been made in Nepal’.
He added: “Both these lads have come from the caddie ranks and have had very little formal education. Golf is providing them with the opportunity to greatly improve their lives.”
Karki was delighted with the chance to practice at Seletar. “I wish there was somewhere like this in Nepal,” he said.
Rai, who saw the ocean for the first time in his life, said he hoped to be presented with a chance to return to Singapore. “Next time for longer. We have both learned so much,” he said.
Karki and Rai especially enjoyed practicing alongside Singapore National Squad and Development Squad players Nicklaus Chiam, Lucius Toh and Charles Alliston.
“It helped a lot to watch how deliberate and careful they are when they practice. They don’t just hit balls” said Karki.