-Christina Sukhram
An emotional Christina Sukhram, the national ladies golf champion, told Stabroek Sports yesterday that her late father Basil Sukhram was somebody who wanted the best for her, whilst being more than a father to her.
“He was a very quiet man who wanted the best for me, especially in golf. He would never hesitate to place himself last, just to ensure I got the best and with his death, it is going to be tough for me whenever I step onto a course, but I know he would want me to continue playing and I intend to do that.”
The elder Sukhram who introduced his daughter to the sport at the tender age of six and served the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) as a professional coach, succumbed to a heart attack at the fifth hole during a tournament at the LGC on Saturday at the age of 54.
“We were living in Grenada, when I started playing the game at the age of six, through my dad. He was not only my coach and dad, but also my mentor due to his vast knowledge of the game, and what I have achieved, including the national ladies championship, would not have been possible without him”, Christina stated.
“When I heard the news, it was as if time stood still for me. Nothing else mattered anymore. I was in shock, my feelings are indescribable, for even though we don’t have a say in whether or not we can answer to death’s calling, his demise was not expected as he was always conscious about his health and made no bones about it.”
She said that her father’s love for the sport saw him being dedicated to it in such a way, that he would rather be at the LGC than home.
“He would help anybody who came to him for help in golf, whether they were young or old, male or female. He showed no disregard towards anybody, as he was very loyal to his game. I have never seen anyone here in Guyana, who was dedicated to the sport of golf.”
She continued: “Dad would prefer to be at the LGC or any golf course for that matter, imparting his knowledge to a group of golfers, than to be at home even if he has to do so every day. In fact, up to the time of his death, he had quite a few students under his belt.”
Meanwhile, president of the LGC Mel Sankies, like club member Alfred Mentore before him, stated that Sukhram was more than a friend to him and his death has left a void in the local golf fraternity.
“He (Sukhram) was instrumental in me learning and playing the sport of golf. Like Mentore, whenever I am not there he would call and enquire the reason why. His love for the sport was second to none. He was a good coach and a very likeable person with the knowledge of the game that served the LGC well.”
He added “I have known him for well over 10 years and he was one who was always willing to help with all the fine points of the game and that was something the LGC was proud of, thus his death has left a void in the sport locally and it would be hard to replace him.”
Sankies stated that the LGC would be sponsoring one night of the wake, whilst a tangible contribution would be made to the family to offset the funeral arrangements.
“That’s the least we can do, to show our appreciation to the bereaved family of Basil Sukhram. As I said before, his knowledge of the game cannot be compared locally and we at the LGC would find it difficult to replace a man of his standing in the sport of golf.”
Apart from Christina, Basil has left to mourn his wife of 31 years, Tatridhanpat Sukhram and his son Eddie Sukhram.