Please tell us a little about how and where you began playing golf, and clubs you have been a member of.

I was given an old set of Slazenger clubs by my late father-in-law and I started playing at Nigel Golf Club, which I joined in 1978. I moved to Rustenburg in 1985 and later joined Mooinooi Golf Club, followed by Sandy Lane Golf Club. I am currently a member of Akasia Country Club.

 

Where did your journey into the administration of the game begin, and how did you end up holding the most important post at Gauteng North Golf Union?

The “committee” bug bit me early on and I have been on various committees since 1979. I first got involved managing the scratch league side in Rustenburg and was elected onto the Western Transvaal Golf Association in 1989. Eddie Luckhoff was the president and I remained a member of the executive until 1998. During my tenure, I was also fortunate enough to be elected to serve on the Transvaal Golf Union. In 2004, I was co-opted to the Gauteng North Golf Union after the passing of Mike Cheyne.

Following the resignation of Paul Jenkinson, I was elected president at 05h45 on the morning of 30^th January 2010 at the start of the GNGU Open Stroke Play Championship at Wingate Park and it has been an amazing journey since then.

 

What goals do you hope to achieve during your tenure as President?

The goals that I set for myself are quite simple. First and foremost, I would like to serve and foster the game of golf to the best of my abilities and to serve the members of GNGU in the best possible way. I hope to grow the game at all levels and take it to those that are less privileged than us.

 

Looking back at when you started, what does the Union’s ‘report card’ look like?

I believe that we have succeed in achieving many of the goals that we set for the Union and my own personal targets. We started a Caddie league that is run very successfully by our Golf Ops Manager Mellette Hendrikse.

The incorporation of Junior Golf into the Union was achieved with the minimum of hassle and is being run very professionally by our Junior Sub Committee. I believe that we are attending to all the needs of our members and we have good relationships with our member clubs.

The Union is in a sound financial situation. I am very blessed to have a great working and participating Executive Committee and I am very positive about our way forward.

 

What do you see as the most important goals for golf in South Africa going forward?

I would think that the national goals would be much the same as those that we set for GNGU. To foster and grow the game among all South Africans, to be honest and transparent in what we do and above all not to put the administrators in the forefront, but to work for the benefit of each and every golfer out there.

 

What is the status in the merger between the women’s and men’s governing bodies?

Our Men and Women amalgamated as one union in 2005 under the leadership of Nolan Karp and we have been operating as such ever since then. Our Executive consists of 11 members, of which one is a Junior Representative and at least three have to be of the same gender. We are represented by Thea Nel at Womans Golf SA and by Mellette Hendrikse on the SAGA.

 

Go to club in your golf bag and why?

Seven-wood, because it gets you out of any bad lie

 

Best golfing memory?

The fondest memory of my career was winning the Premier SA Inter-Provincial in Rustenburg with a young and untested team

 

If you could change any rule of golf, what would it be and why?

The tapping down of spike marks on the green – it’s just a ridiculous rule

 

Which three people would you most like to play a round of golf with?

Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy en Matt Kutchar

 

Favourite golf courses in South Africa?

Umdoni Golf Club, Koro Creek Golf Estate, Zimbali Country Estate, Legends, which was designed by the world’s top golfers and Sandy Lane, where I live.

 

Compiled by Lali Stander