PGPI accepts GIN role in local golf with caution

PGPI accepts GIN role in local golf with caution

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Pro-Golf Association (PGPI) has adopted a cautious
stance on PT GIN (Golf Indonesia Nusantara), a commercial body
recently established by the PGPI's amateur counterpart, the
Indonesia Golf Association (PGI).

GIN was set up only last June with its founders saying it
carried the vision of promoting Indonesian golf through a
commercial and professional approach.

PGI, which used to manage amateur golfing, has now expanded
its scope of activities to professional golfing through its
commercial involvement in GIN.

Apart from the controversy it brought with it, which resulted
in the resignation of the then secretary-general Taufik Aziz, the
existence of GIN has also raised suspicions among the pro-
golfers.

However, the PGPI has adopted a soft stance mixed with
caution. "As long as it complies with the PGPI's rules of the
game in the recruitment of pro players, we don't need to be
suspicious about GIN," Avie K. Utomo, the PGPI's executive
director, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

"Otherwise, any tournament it holds will be excluded from the
golf tour PGPI has planned for 2002," he said.

Avie said that GIN would not pose any threat to golfing
organizations.

"They are partners as well as competitors in the sense that we
will have to compete in seeking sponsorship," Avie said.

He added, however, that his real concern was that GIN might
reduce its role to a mere commercial carrier for personal
interests and that it diverge from its golfing mission.

Meanwhile, the PGI brushed aside allegations of monopoly and
violations of amateurism.

"That's not true. GIN has been established to help promote
golf among the public as well as to boost the achievements of
players," Haryanto Dhanutirto, the newly installed PGI chairman,
told reporters here on Tuesday.

"They argued that by having GIN stage golf competitions, the
PGI has violated the amateur code. We don't think so. Look at
America. This is the way they manage the tournaments," Haryanto,
a former transport minister, said.

Haryanto added that GIN would pursue sponsorship and seek
profits, to be apportioned among the PGPI (Indonesian Pro-Golf
Association), APLGI (Indonesian Golf Course Owners Association)
and the PGI.

But he stopped short of explaining about the percentages
involved in the profit sharing.

"No. We have not gone that far yet," he said.

Avie also admitted to not having been informed about the idea.
"The subjects of our discussions so far have been how we arrange
the tournament schedule so that tournaments don't clash with each
other," he said, adding that the PGPI has planned between 8 and
10 international tournaments next season.