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Chief Leo Edochie, Nigeria’s number one celebrity golfer turned heads with a jaw-dropping appearance at The Shire Course, one of the iconic golf destinations in the United Kingdom.
It was all glitz and glamour as Edochie and a handful of his friends played an invitational at the prestigious course in the last weekend of July.
The Shire London is uniquely different in a number of ways. Unlike other conventional golf courses, it has six par threes, six par fours and six par fives. There are no two consecutive holes of the same par on this course that prides itself as being “warm, unpretentious and friendly”.
As the only golf course in the United Kingdom designed by the legendary Seve Ballesteros, its signature feature is the Hole 18 with an S-shaped lake which is described as “one of the country’s most demanding closing holes”.
If the topic is golf, Chief Edochie will raise no eyebrows if you refer to him as an addict or fanatic. And that explains why his steadily-expanding, feel-good golf itinerary took him to The Shire London where he shone brightly, not necessarily by the number of birdies he returned but the significance of his message.
“It was a fantastic experience to play in such a high-profile course,” he says. “Though I had a solid round, it was not all about me. It’s about showing those kids in Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kaduna or Lagos that The Shire is not out of their reach.
“Yes, I am honoured to be adored as Nigeria’s celebrity golfer but my real goal is to inspire the next generation of golfers and enhance women’s participation in the sport in our country. If my round here in London makes one person to pick up golf, then I’m as excited as hitting an eagle on a difficult hole”.
But without a doubt, Leo brought swag and aura to the invitational at The Shire. His intimidating physique, bright apparels and trademark two-tone golf shoes were unmistakable on the fairways and left onlookers in awe. “Oh, that’s a lovely shot,” Edochie gleefully yelled after nicely scooping the ball from a greenside bunker.
The celebrity golfer, who is also a consummate professional and wealthy entrepreneur, playing golf is no more a hobby, it is an obsession spurred by a huge appetite to unlock the sport’s untapped potentials and provide the platform for nurturing future champions.
That explains why he continues to generate headlines for readily reaching his fat wallet to promote the game as well as offer substantial charitable contributions.
In no distant time, he will be hosting Celebrity Golfer Leo Edochie Charity Golf tournament, which fits into his persona. True to his long-standing reputation for giving back to humanity, the proceeds from the event will be dedicated to charity.
The surge in celebrity participation in golf by Nigerians today reflects Leo’s impact, enhanced more by his leveraging the social media to share his experiences on and off the fairways as a way to promote the sport.
Yet, he has a new dream. He has expressed a burning desire to introduce Nigerians to the experience of watching golf tournaments live, replicating the spectator culture common in the developed countries and in the PGA events. Such fan engagement, according to Edochie, “will change the perception of golf, boost tourism and bring in more people into the game.”
As Chairman of Python Golf Club Open tournament, this former president of Port Harcourt Polo Club plans to use the next golf tournament in November to pilot the initiative of creating the spectator atmosphere.
According to Leo, “I’m deeply excited when I see other people following in my footsteps, not only by the way they dress but by also recording and airing their games.
“My next goal is to bring Nigerians to watch golf tournaments live, just like they watch football games. The merits are so much that we can’t afford to miss out on the foreseeable opportunities. “
However, the Shire experience did not obscure the primary reason of Chief Edochie’s London visit- proud father and mother were attending the graduation of their last son in the company of their other children and friends. All his three kids graduated from the same university of Reading in England.
Coming soon for the celebrity golfer is golf entrepreneurship and merchandising.
The golf community eagerly anticipates.
