Ken Borland

CAPE ST FRANCIS, Eastern Cape – The St Francis Links on a completely overcast, drizzly and blustery day on the rugged southern coastline of the Eastern Cape would probably not be your first choice for a relaxed round of golf, but 24-year-old Dylan Naidoo was beaming after his day out in the strong winds and cold on the first day of the Vodacom Origins of Golf Pro-Am.

And it’s not as if Naidoo had a stellar round of golf to smile about either: He reckons he was no more than solid and praised his pro-am partner Malcolm Subramony for having a great day.

Naidoo was just delighted to be back at one of his favourite courses, playing in the Vodacom Origins of Golf series he, and his fellow pros, appreciate so much.

“The last time I played here I was just 17 years old and it is such a phenomenal course. It tests every aspect of your game and I feel like I’m a very different player to when I was last here,” Naidoo said. “I enjoyed it so much, it tests where your game is at in a lot of different ways.

“And the Vodacom Origins of Golf series is great, as a younger golfer you are pretty much guaranteed to get in if you have your tour card. The series teaches you how to be a pro and it allows you to network with the amateurs. The pro-am is always a lot of fun and you get to know all the Vodacom people and their clients.

“It’s a lovely way to get in a practice round ahead of the Sunshine Tour event starting on Thursday, you can play with your mates and have fun, and I enjoy it a lot.

“It basically teaches you how to go about your business on tour. It was a big help when I started out as a pro and it’s a big help still now,” Naidoo, who joined the Sunshine Tour in 2019/20 after a stellar amateur career, said.

While Naidoo has made his big break by earning playing privileges on the Korn Ferry Tour in the United States, he is one of the first intake of the Papwa Sewgolum Development Class that aims to fast-track the success of golfers of colour who have been previously disadvantaged.

“I’ve been a transformation golfer for the last three years and, since the Papwa Sewgolum Class came into being in June, I have seen really nice growth in our group of golfers.

“It helps the guys realise that they are very good players, they deserve to be here, and it’s about giving them every opportunity to be successful.

“Starting out on tour can be financially very difficult, especially if you come from a disadvantaged background. Now there’s a system in place, with each of the golfers getting a bit of a stipend every month, that will really help,” Naidoo said.

CAPE ST FRANCIS, Eastern Cape – The Eastern Cape is a massive region, the second-largest province of South Africa at nearly 169 000km², and there are numerous world-class golf courses and a great passion for the game.

But it is also clear that there are many people who love the game and could contribute greatly to the entire golfing ecosystem, but who sorely need greater support and access to the sport.

The South African Golf Development Board does a great job in this respect, facilitating practice and playing opportunities for learners and talented players from underprivileged communities.

The Vodacom Origins of Golf series plays an important role in the work of the SAGDB by setting up clinics with the professionals playing in their events, and on Tuesday, 18 children from the Humansdorp, Arcadia, Asbekkies and Sea Vista areas enjoyed getting some coaching at the St Francis Links, where the latest Pro-Am in the series is being played.

Frans de Kock is the regional manager of the SAGDB for the Eastern Province and has been involved in golf development since 2007. He coached his own son, Allister de Kock, to Sunshine Tour professional level, and now he is ploughing that knowledge and passion back into the community.

“I’ve always loved golf since I grew up near the Wedgewood Golf Course in PE, I used to caddy and fell in love with the game from Day One,” De Kock senior says.

“After getting my son Allister to the level he’s at, I know what’s needed for youngsters to succeed and those methods will also work with these kids.

“I go to townships schools and we’re mostly introducing golf to these children. The challenges are that some think it’s an easy game and then drop off when they discover it’s not, but mostly we have social issues to contend with. I always say the kids are here to learn to play golf, but they must first learn all their schoolwork. They need to learn to be self-supporting.

“We have 146 youngsters in all in our programme and it’s always a challenge getting them on to golf courses. But Vodacom always provides us with good opportunities and I’m sure something good will come out of today’s clinic as well,” De Kock says.

Some of the local talent that might have been missed but has been nurtured by the SAGDB includes Johndre Ludick, who has just represented GolfRSA in the Italian U16 Championship and Devon Valentine, a member of the SAGDB national squad.

But the importance golf plays in shaping the careers of people off the course as well should not be overlooked.

St Francis Links PGA pros Christo Kugel and Norman Riley speak fondly of how their regular community development work is an avenue to enrich lives and not just produce golfers.

The proof of that is the youngster who was introduced to golf and ended up becoming a firefighter, or even Clyde Loggenberg, the club barman.

He was employed as a ball-spotter in the PGA Championship last year at St Francis Links, fell in love with the game and impressed everyone at the club so much that he is now working there full-time.

“I never looked at golf before that, I was more a rugby and soccer guy, but my love for golf has just grown. I meet so many golfers and learn from them, and now and then I can borrow clubs and actually get out and play.

“I used to work on the cruise ships in Europe, but this opportunity is one of the best things to ever happen to me, at one of the best golf clubs in the country,” the father of two from Humansdorp says.

One can only salute Trevor Immelman’s understaffed International team for their heroic comeback in the Presidents Cup at the weekend, and even though they were eventually beaten 17½-12½, they did themselves and, perhaps most importantly, the event a huge credit.

The United States had won the last eight successive editions of the biennial tournament, so they were overwhelming favourites even before the defections to LIV Golf decimated Immelman’s team. The South African captain was forced to choose eight rookies for the event. His highest-ranked player was Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, ranked 14^th in the world; there were 10 Americans ranked higher.

And then the Internationals suffered a nightmare start as they crashed 8-2, and then 11-4, behind on the first two days.

But the Internationals stood tall on the weekend, winning 10½ of the last 20 points. At one stage on the final day singles, they had closed to within two points of the United States, with several other games in the balance.

For those who love the Presidents Cup and team golf, it was wonderful to see the Internationals fight so hard to prove their competitiveness. They may have lost the match, but they ensured this event will survive for at least a while longer.

Many seasoned observers have marvelled at the number of long-range putts the Americans sank during the event. It almost seemed like whenever they looked at the hole, even from miles away, they would sink the putt.

While one should credit the hosts for their attacking mindset, it’s probably fair to say they also enjoyed some good fortune.

South Africa’s only other member of the team, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, was unbeaten with 1½ points, although he somewhat surprisingly only played two matches.

“We showed a lot of guts to fight back,” Immelman said after the defeat. “At some point this afternoon, I thought there was still a chance.

“When you consider we were 8-2 down, this team is no joke, and I’m sick and tired of it being spoken of as a joke. We love this event, we love our team, and we cannot wait to have another shot.”

While almost all the focus in the build-up to South Africa’s first T20 against India in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday has been on Proteas captain Temba Bavuma and his pedigree in the shortest format of the game, the skipper himself said on Tuesday that all his focus is on fulfilling his role for the team.

Bavuma returns to international action for the first time since June when he retired hurt for eight off 11 balls in the fourth T20 against India in Rajkot; South Africa going on to be skittled for just 87 and losing by 82 runs as the hosts levelled the series. The fifth and decisive match was then washed out.

Bavuma tore a tendon in his elbow when diving to make his ground on a quick single. But questions had already been raised in India over his place in the side as he ended the series with 61 runs in four innings, at a strike-rate of only 103.38, the lowest of any frontline batsman in the series.

When he last week failed to attract a single bid for the SA20 league from any of the IPL-associated franchises, it created a fresh storm over his head.

“My focus is on the team and my role as captain is to lead and serve as best I can,” Bavuma said on Tuesday when asked whether he will be going all-out with the bat to prove the naysayers wrong.

“My job is to make sure the team is in the best space possible going into the World Cup. Anything else I try not to give energy to, they’re all distractions and sideshows.

“I’m trying to put what happened at the auction behind me and my biggest focus is on my role as captain,” Bavuma said.

The Indian team are resting the swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who gave the Proteas, and especially Bavuma, a torrid time in the previous series. Jasprit Bumrah is back to lead the attack. The home side’s most experienced batsmen, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, are also back in the fray, having rested in the earlier rubber.

“We were tested and challenged in all departments last time here and I think we responded quite well,” Bavuma said. “They have some big names back with pedigree behind them, and they will lead from the front.

“They will boost the confidence of the Indian team and add some x-factor. But it’s good for us to be coming up against their best players.

“It’s quite challenging against their opening bowlers in the powerplay, they get the ball to swing and move quite a bit, more than we are accustomed to at home.

“The key is to limit the damage, manoeuvre around them and try and get some momentum later on,” Bavuma said.

Play starts at 3.30pm SA time.