KZN’s juniors make their mark

JUNIOR golfers in the province have produced some pretty good golf of late.

For a start, three schoolboys were chosen for the SA Schools U19 team to play Tuks at Centurion this weekend, namely Jason Broomhead (Westville), Luke Mayo (Clifton) and Chris Woollam (Hilton).

This was after the 72-hole SA Schools Champs at Krugersdorp last week.

KZN finished second behind Gauteng North, with Broomhead finishing highest of the KZN players in fifth spot.

He was leading after day one with rounds of 74 and 67, which included a back nine of 29.

He let himself down with a third-round 80, but finished strongly with a 69.

Luke Mayo (Mount Edgecombe) came within a shot of winning the Lion of Africa Junior Open at Clovelly Country Club last Sunday.

In the end, Ross Sinclair of Gauteng North took the title on a five-under-par score of 139 for two rounds.

Mayo’s two rounds comprised scores of 72 and 68. He birdied the second, third and fourth, and then eagled the ninth to get within striking distance of Sinclair.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t keep that run going on the back nine.

KwaZulu-Natal managed fourth place in the Nomads South African U-13 Champs played at Royal Durban Golf Club last week. The event was won by Ekurhuleni.

KZN’s players were Mitchell Hampson, Jack Cubitt, Ethan Govender, Kushal Bugareth, Nicholas Oliver Phipps and Luke Cubitt.

The individual winner was Ekurhuleni’s Casey Jarvis on 217 (73 73 71).

KZN’s scores were Mitchell Hampson 75 81 75, Jack Cubitt 76 82 78, Ethan Govender 82 82 76, Luke Cubitt 87 80 80, Nicholas Oliver Phipps 85 78 85 and Kushal Bugareth 84 86 81.

Golf clubs worldwide are looking at ways to meet the demands of the difficult economic climate, and the PGA of South Africa has devised a strategy to help local clubs create more value for their members and attract new ones.

Over the next 12 to 24 months, the PGA will implement its new Valuing the PGA Professional programme around South Africa.

The programme – which has the full support of the Club Manager Association of South Africa and Golf RSA – is aimed at increasing rounds of golf, membership numbers and revenue at golf facilities, and developing golfers.

According to Ivano Ficalbi, the chief executive of the PGA of South Africa, the programme is based on the success of similar programmes implemented by the PGA of America and the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland.

“The PGA of South Africa firmly believes that the golf industry needs to focus on implementing positive strategies to bring new golfers to the game, past golfers back to the game and to encourage current golfers to play more golf,” said Ficalbi.