Time to brag about KZN courses - Hayes
GOLFERS from around the country have been experiencing just how good the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast is at this time of year ... and there is more to come.
The near-perfect weather over the past few weeks has made playing golf in mid-winter a pleasure along the coast, and the area really needs to be promoted among the parts of the country like the Western Cape (too wet) and the Highveld (too cold), where playing the game isn’t comfortable at this time of year.
Last week saw the HalfwayScottfin Selborne Classic at Selborne Park from August 7-9 being won by a strong team led by former provincial squash player Gary Barker, who was backed up by Rob Veale, Derek Broom and Craig Lyle.
Barker is based down the South Coast and for many years his family owned the farm upon which Selborne was built by his father, Denis, so local knowledge would have played a huge role in guiding his partners from Durban, Maritzburg and Underberg to victory.
This quartet have won the Selborne Classic before, and re-united to take the Farmers’ Classic earlier this year as well.
Meanwhile, the second Jenta Classic took place at Southbroom, San Lameer and the Wild Coast Country Club courses and attracted players from far and wide.
Dale Hayes, who was the MC for the event, praised the condition and climate of the South Coast.
“Really, you should be bragging more about your area,” he said. “I don’t think you can get better value for your golf anywhere else. The golf in this area is really fantastic and you get treated very well.”
The winners were Joseph Malekutu, Malombo Abrams, Jerry Lerapyane and Simon Masilo from Gauteng.
Included in the Port Edward team that finished second was John Fourie, who was recently inducted into the South African golf hall of fame.
Fourie, now 75, won 10 times on the Sunshine Tour and once in Europe. He also played on the Seniors Tour in Europe when it began in 1992, and won the British Open and the Irish Masters, as well as taking the Order of Merit that year.
Next up to experience the delight of winter golf in KZN are the young stars of the professional game, who have three tournaments to look forward to in the province.
The Vodacom Origins of Golf takes place from August 20-22 at San Lameer, and the Wild Coast Challenge will be held from August 26-28 at the Wild Coast Country Club. The forecast for San Lameer is for cloudy and cool conditions with a light breeze and temperatures in the 15-23C range ... ideal for a course which features water on 14 holes and will test the players’ shotmaking abilities.
Among the players who have entered are George Coetzee, Keith Horne (who had a runaway win at Sun City’s Lost City course last week by closing with a 64), Warren Abery of Durban and Andrew Curlewis of Port Shepstone, Colin Nel of Maritzburg, Adilson da Silva of Brazil, and other multiple tournament winners in Jacques Blaauw, Dean Burmester and Jean Hugo.
Jared Harvey of Mount Edgecombe will be looking for his maiden title after several near misses and a good finish at the Lost City event, while three quality Durbanites who will be entering the prequalifier are Bryce Easton, Bryce Bibby and Kevin Rundle.
Almost all of the players will be lining up at the Wild Coast Challenge too, where they are joined by European Tour regular Jaco van Zyl and Shaun Norris.
And finally, there is the Sibaya Sun Challenge, which takes place at Mount Edgecombe from September 2-4. A new event on the Winter Tour calendar, 135 professionals have entered so far.
Let’s hope they all enjoy the warm and balmy winter conditions over the coming month.