The first-ever Army organized Golf Tournament-2013, nick named ‘Crow Flies’ got underway at Army Golf Ground, Diyatalawa on Saturday (6), bringing a novel experience to the Army’s calendar of sports.
Nearly after a lapse of about 53 years, this breathtaking Golf course at Diyatalawa was renovated and re-designed to match with international standards where any international match could be played as per keen interest, shown by the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya. The course, originally with necessary holes, but remained unabandoned, has now been improved and re-designed to have 18 holes.
The tournament, competed by Nuwara Eliya Golf Club, Diyatalawa Golf Club, Digana Golf Club, Colombo Golf Club, Army Golf Club, Navy Golf Club and Air Force Golf Club flights, was comprised of a reputed gathering of veterans and elite golfers of the island.
Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetileke who had been invited as the Chief Guest for the tournament himself was a player in one of the flights, together with Air Marshal H.D Abeywickrama, Commander of the Air Force, another golf player in the tournament. The event was closely watched by the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage who were present there.
The first of this kind in the history of the Army, Golf Tournament is to be a yearly occurrence from now onwards.
Saturday’s (6) maiden event distributed four trophies; Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetileke Challenge Trophy, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya Challenge Trophy, Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage Challenge Trophy and Air Marshal H.D Abeywickrama Challenge Trophy under four categories; Best Team, Best Golfer, Best Runner-up and the Individual Player.
Two more special prizes for the Longest Drive and Close to the Hole were also given away during the awarding ceremony which drew a huge gathering of spectators.
Diyatalawa that lies in a valley between Haputale and Bandarawela has constantly been a military base and a garrison city from the time of the Europeans. It is evident that the European planters from the neighbouring estates during the colonial era had been frequent visitors to this golf course and specially very important personalities of the era such as late Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake and many other well-recognized military seniors had also often made it a point to come to Diyatalawa for a game of Golf.
An international standard round of Golf consists of 18 holes although it was the case during the colonial times. When it was acquired by the Ceylon Army around the 1960 there had been only 9 holes. Therefore, the Course was to be played twice per round. Nevertheless, this wonderful Golf course, the treasured property of the Sri Lanka Army, maintained by the Sri Lanka Military Academy has been upgraded on the instructions of the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya to make it a full-fledged 18 hole course after nearly 53 years where standard rounds of golf could be played or any other national or international tournament could also be held.
It was yet another wonderful day here in Diyatalawa and the splendid layout of this wonderful course that encloses the existing clump of trees believed to be the oldest around the area. The historic white gate hill, duck pond, stream valley, rolling hillside, etc are sure to make a game of golf more magnetic and interesting.
Major General H.M.H.A Herath, President, Sri Lanka Army Golf Association took the initiative in organizing this tournament with the blessings of the Commander of the Army.
Nearly after a lapse of about 53 years, this breathtaking Golf course at Diyatalawa was renovated and re-designed to match with international standards where any international match could be played as per keen interest, shown by the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya. The course, originally with necessary holes, but remained unabandoned, has now been improved and re-designed to have 18 holes.
The tournament, competed by Nuwara Eliya Golf Club, Diyatalawa Golf Club, Digana Golf Club, Colombo Golf Club, Army Golf Club, Navy Golf Club and Air Force Golf Club flights, was comprised of a reputed gathering of veterans and elite golfers of the island.
Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetileke who had been invited as the Chief Guest for the tournament himself was a player in one of the flights, together with Air Marshal H.D Abeywickrama, Commander of the Air Force, another golf player in the tournament. The event was closely watched by the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage who were present there.
The first of this kind in the history of the Army, Golf Tournament is to be a yearly occurrence from now onwards.
Saturday’s (6) maiden event distributed four trophies; Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetileke Challenge Trophy, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya Challenge Trophy, Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage Challenge Trophy and Air Marshal H.D Abeywickrama Challenge Trophy under four categories; Best Team, Best Golfer, Best Runner-up and the Individual Player.
Two more special prizes for the Longest Drive and Close to the Hole were also given away during the awarding ceremony which drew a huge gathering of spectators.
Diyatalawa that lies in a valley between Haputale and Bandarawela has constantly been a military base and a garrison city from the time of the Europeans. It is evident that the European planters from the neighbouring estates during the colonial era had been frequent visitors to this golf course and specially very important personalities of the era such as late Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake and many other well-recognized military seniors had also often made it a point to come to Diyatalawa for a game of Golf.
An international standard round of Golf consists of 18 holes although it was the case during the colonial times. When it was acquired by the Ceylon Army around the 1960 there had been only 9 holes. Therefore, the Course was to be played twice per round. Nevertheless, this wonderful Golf course, the treasured property of the Sri Lanka Army, maintained by the Sri Lanka Military Academy has been upgraded on the instructions of the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya to make it a full-fledged 18 hole course after nearly 53 years where standard rounds of golf could be played or any other national or international tournament could also be held.
It was yet another wonderful day here in Diyatalawa and the splendid layout of this wonderful course that encloses the existing clump of trees believed to be the oldest around the area. The historic white gate hill, duck pond, stream valley, rolling hillside, etc are sure to make a game of golf more magnetic and interesting.
Major General H.M.H.A Herath, President, Sri Lanka Army Golf Association took the initiative in organizing this tournament with the blessings of the Commander of the Army.
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