The Kimberley Golf Club – rich in history

THE KIMBERLEY GOLF CLUB, by virtue of its founding date, July 3 1890, is rich in history, not only of its own, but also in the broader sense of the game in this country. A humble beginning in the halcyon days of the Diamond Fields – the greens began as sand putting browns, followed by diamondiferous blue ground, mats served for tees and dynamite was employed to blast the stones on the fairways (among many other oddities) – has finally evolved through to the current Bob Grimsdell designed parkland layout that boasts Elliot grass tee to green, which, in itself, is also an oddity. The course today has two distinct faces, a green summer look that has the ball holding, and a frosted winter white look that has the ball rolling. Whichever the face the course remains particularly player friendly. Of course the 19th hole is more consistent, inviting a warm welcome throughout the year. And, this can be ably testified by the 600 golfers who annually partake in the Barney Barnato “Festival of Golf, Ribald and Revelry”. Despite being situated in the middle of South Africa, Kimberley remains somewhat isolated. Visiting golfers, therefore, are most appreciated. In addition the Club has two established neighbours, Sun Flamingo Casino and the Kimberley Road Lodge. They naturally ensure added entertainment and easily accessible accommodation. As was astutely observed by Phillip Galgut of the Compleat Golfer: “The only disappointment which this august club could possibly be accused of setting before members and visitors is the fact that although this is Kimberley, the holes aren’t any bigger.” ERNIE ELS won his first pro tournament, the Spoornet SA Classic here in 1990. This was the same year that THE BARNEY BARNATO the annual nine night, eight day Festival of Golf, Ribald & Revelry was founded; . . . as was THE FREDDIE TAIT GOLF MUSEUM, the first of its kind in South Africa, for that year was the club’s centenary year. Rich in history it was here that the first CHAMPIONSHIP FOR SOUTH AFRICA (1893) was held; . . . that CECIL JOHN RHODES (1897) donated his Challenge Cup; . . . that DIAMONDIFEROUS TAILINGS (1900) were used as a putting surface medium; . . . that JAW PRENTICE (1913) became the first player to win both the SA Amateur and SA Open; and . . . here that the FREDDIE TAIT GOLF WEEK was inaugurated in February 2000.

DID YOU KNOW? Most aspiring South African amateur golfers would savour the singular honour of being presented with the FREDDIE TAIT CUP, an honour bestowed on the leading amateur in the South African open Championships. Few South African players today, however, are fully aware of Freddie Tait – the GOLFER, the SOLDIER or the MAN. Freddie Tait was born January 11 1870 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He began to play golf at the age of five. At the age of seven he was allowed to play at St Andrews, the home of golf, and indeed, his home course for the remainder of his brief life. He rapidly developed into an outstanding player. In 1894 he set his first St Andrews record, a gross 72. Another 72 followed five months later at Carnoustie. That year he was low amateur in the (British) Open, finishing ninth overall. In 1896 he won his first (British) Amateur Championship. He was again leading amateur in the Open, finishing third overall. He also established course records at Muirfield, North Berwick and Morton Hall. 1897 saw further course records at Ganton and Blairgowrie. In 1898 he took his second Amateur Championship. At Sandwich and Woking he set two more course records. In 1899, aged just 29, Tait entered his last competitive year. In February he established a course record at New Luffness. In may he lost the Amateur Championship in a play off to the great English player John Ball. A month later he was leading amateur in the Open for the third occasion. In July he set his last record, a remarkable 63 at Archfield. On October 2 he played his final golf match. Fittingly it was against his keenest rival – John Ball. Tait won the contest one up after 36 holes. Twenty-one days later Tait boarded the SS Orient as one of the 29 officers and 950 men of the 2nd Battalion Royal Highland Brigade, the famed “Black Watch”, for he was first and foremost a soldier having joined the army as a 20-year-old in 1890. Their destination was South Africa and the Boer War. After disembarking at the Cape his battalion moved north to Modderrivier. In the early hours of December 10, British forces on night manoeuvers came under devastating Boer fire. The battle of Magersfontein had begun. The Black Watch at the forefront of the march was decimated, 355 men killed or wounded. Tait survived the onslaught with a thigh wound. After a period of convalescence he returned to the front in January 1900. On February 7, at the battle of Koedoesberg Drift, Tait, while leading his platoon in a forward rush, took a fatal shot through the chest. However remarkable his attributes as golfer and soldier were, probably neither matched that of his extraordinary charisma. He had a magnetic hold over all who came into contact with him. He, along with his fallen comrades, was buried in a simple ceremony on the bank of the Riet River at Koesdoesberg Drift. In 1963 he was re-interred in the West End Cemetery in Kimberley, by the War Graves Board. In 1936 Tait’s putter was presented to the Kimberley Golf Club, the club closest to the point of his death, in accordance with his will. The Freddie Tait Cup was purchased from the surplus funds of the British Amateur Tour to South Africa in 1928 to be presented to the leading amateur in the SA Open. The cup bears the R&A Club die and crest and the medal die of the Army Golfing Society. The Freddie Tait Museum was opened at the Kimberley Golf Club in 1990, his putter forming the centre piece.