GOING FOR GOLD
FOR many ladies, sport is not always a favourite pastime, least of all golf. However, for sports enthusiast, Minkie Molatlhegi, who is not only obsessed with the beautiful game of football but swinging clubs and hitting balls into holes, the ‘gentlemen’s sport’ presents an opportunity to make and close deals while having fun.
Growing up in Phikwe, the lefthanded lady played volleyball in junior secondary school and would go on to become captain of Matshekge Senior Secondary School. When she arrived in Gaborone for higher learning, the Mmadinare-born go-getter would meet Botswana Ladies Golf Union (BLGU) President, Nina Cloete, who in 2008 recruited some 40 or so young University of Botswana ladies to play golf. One by one, the lasses would quickly lose interest, save for the impressive champ in the making.
Voice Woman took the time to speak to the 40-year-old, who is certainly making her mark on the African turf. A member of Jwaneng Golf Club who has previously won a diamond in another mining town, Orapa, the mother-of-two has triumphed in every tournament regionally and continentally: fourteen to be precise!
Let’s get to know Minkie Molatlhegi...
I was born in Mmadinare but grew up in Selebi Phikwe where I did all my schooling from Standard 1 to Form 3, then went to Matshekge to do Form 4 and 5. I then proceeded to UB for tertiary education. I am proud a mother of two boys.
A male-dominated and elitist sport, golf is fast gaining popularity among women locally. When did you start taking an interest in it and what inspired you?
I took an interest in golf as a student at UB. The then BLGU President, Nina Cloete, encouraged most of the UB female students to join and play golf; around 40 of us. All of them left along the way, except me. I was inspired by the fact that there were so few ladies playing, and most of them were older, so I wanted to be among them and be one of the youngest lady players. I was president of Golf Ladies Club in Botswana for 4 years.
Are your children also into golf?
I introduced my boys to golf but they got bored and opted to play football instead. They reckon golf is for older people and prefare to interact with their peers playing football. They are actually gifted; the older boy is a striker while his little brother is a good left back and, like mummy, he is lefthanded.
Wow! Apparently one has to have good hand-eye coordination. Share with us your early experiences learning to play.
Yes, one has to be able to coordinate and have a sharp eye to be able to hit a straight ball, combined with posture and the swing of the hands. They have to be aligned in a certain way whenever one addresses the ball; the coordination is important to hit a good shot.
It is said the golf course is a place where deals are closed, and worthwhile connections are made...
Very true, most golfers are businessmen/ women and if one wants to close a good business deal, it has always been on a golf course. We usually discuss business while playing golf, if you want to talk serious business, it’s always good and promising to do that while having fun at the same time.
What are your favourite courses?
My favourite golf courses are Phikwe and Sowa; they are brown courses and I always play well there. As for the green courses, I love Jwaneng and Gaborone golf courses. However, South Africa and Thailand golf courses are the best. I also enjoyed the Portugal courses; they are magnificent!
Besides the obvious health benefits, what other gains are there?
Benefits include discussing and closing business deals. One also