SAMANTHA MADE
For a weekend, Troutbeck in Nyanga became a meeting point for golf, diplomacy, business and development, as the third Diplomat Golf Day brought participants beyond the course to explore the wider economic opportunities in Manicaland.
Held on 3 October under the theme “From Fairways to Futures”, the event brought together diplomats, business leaders, corporate representatives and other guests for an 18-hole golf tournament, followed by an Impact Retreat showcasing the area’s tourism, agricultural and investment potential.
The decision to hold the event in Nyanga was part of a broader effort to promote Manicaland as more than a tourism destination. Through golf, networking and visits to local enterprises, the organisers sought to connect the diplomatic and corporate communities with opportunities in the province.
For Diplomat Media Events, Marketing and Sponsorships Manager Daylight Gwature, sport provides a useful platform for building relationships beyond formal meetings.
“Sport has always had an extraordinary ability to bring people together. On the golf course, titles and formalities become less important and people have time to talk, understand each other and build relationships,” she said.
Gwature said taking the event outside Harare also gave participants an opportunity to experience Nyanga and the wider province first-hand, particularly its tourism, agricultural and investment opportunities.
The Impact Retreat included a visit to Froggy Farm, where participants were exposed to agricultural and horticultural activities, offering a broader perspective of the economic opportunities linking agriculture, tourism and community development.
Representing Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister and Member of Parliament Misheck Mugadza, who was the guest of honour, District Administrator Albert Chinyawo said the event had grown beyond a golf tournament.
“Fairways are where relationships are forged. Futures are what we must deliver,” he said.
Chinyawo said Manicaland was open to investment and encouraged participants to view Nyanga not only as a tourism destination, but also as an area with opportunities across different sectors.
“Manicaland is open for business. Nyanga, in particular, is a jewel in our national crown,” he said.
He pointed to the Impact Retreat as an opportunity for participants to see some of those possibilities first-hand, from the agricultural operations at Froggy Farm to the tourism assets around Troutbeck and the wider Nyanga area.
In remarks delivered on behalf of Mugadza, Chinyawo also highlighted the potential for the gathering to contribute to community development.
“The opportunities you saw today at Froggy Farm and across Nyanga are real, they are bankable, and my office stands ready to walk every step of the journey with you,” Mugadza said.
He said the gathering should leave behind more than photographs and business cards, pointing to the need for a lasting community initiative.
“Too often, high-level gatherings leave behind only photographs and business cards. This retreat will leave behind something more durable – a co-created community project,” he said.
The community development component added another dimension to the event, with discussions around a project that could create a tangible legacy beyond the sporting activities. The longer-term value of the initiative will depend on how these discussions translate into practical action.
At the dinner and prize-giving ceremony, Ambassador of Ghana to Zimbabwe H.E. Bonaventure Adjavor also highlighted the importance of bringing diplomatic missions and the corporate sector together through sport.
“Beyond the sporting experience, occasions such as this provide an invaluable opportunity to strengthen relationships, build bridges and encourage meaningful engagement between institutions, businesses and diplomatic missions,” Adjavor said.
He said golf offered an informal setting where people from different backgrounds, nationalities and professions could interact beyond their official positions, creating opportunities for dialogue and future partnerships.
“I therefore encourage us not to see this evening merely as the conclusion of a golfing event, but as the beginning or continuation of relationships that can translate into greater cooperation, investment opportunities and institutional partnerships,” he said.
The tournament produced a competitive finish, with C.J. Tailos of Mutare Dry Port and T. Matamisa taking first place with 43 points. M. Mutumhe and C. Kunze also scored 43 points to finish second, while Prisca Chad of Zimpapers and Mayamba took third place with 42 points.
- Chitimba and Joseph Nago finished fourth with 41 points, followed by Carlison and Maponga, also on 41 points. L. Mazunginye and M. Pahla completed the top six with 40 points.
For Chad, the tournament was memorable not only for the result but also because it was her first round at Troutbeck.
“To finish third and win a prize at the Diplomats Golf Tournament on my first ever round at Troutbeck is something I will remember forever. Troutbeck is so beautiful and scenic, especially the water on the course. It was a good experience, well organised, and I met great people. Thank you to the organisers. I am looking forward to next year,” she said.
Australian Eddie Rabak and Turkish Ambassador Berna Kasnaklı-Versteden shared the Best Diplomatic Golfer honours.
The event attracted representatives from the Australian, Ghanaian, Turkish, Namibian and Serbian diplomatic missions, alongside members of the Diplomatic Spouse Association. Corporate participants included CABS, First Mutual Life, Cherubim Security and Mutare Dry Port.
The Diplomat Golf Day was first held in Nyanga in 2024 before moving to The Country Club Harare for its second edition in August 2025. Its return to Nyanga in 2026 introduced the Impact Retreat as an additional component, expanding the event beyond the golf course.
The combination of sport, business engagement and exposure to local economic activities gave participants an opportunity to see Nyanga from a different perspective. It also reinforced the potential for gatherings of this nature to connect diplomatic and corporate networks with local development opportunities.
For the organisers, the longer-term value of the event lies in whether the conversations started on the golf course and during the retreat can develop into partnerships, investment and community initiatives.
For Nyanga and the wider Manicaland province, the gathering offered a platform to showcase not only the region’s scenic attractions, but also its agricultural potential, investment prospects and role in the province’s wider economic development.
