Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2024 i Compleat Golfer

○ KANE TAKES PAIN ON AUGUSTA’S 12TH Former Tottenham, now Bayern Munich and England striker, Harry Kane, is a keen golfer. He is a 3-handicap and before The Masters got a chance to play a round. Like most visiting Augusta National for the first time, he stressed how TV doesn’t show how hilly the course is or the undulations of the greens. As for his round, he spoke about the famous par-three 12th. ‘I made a triple-bogey. I hit one straight in the water, and then I hit one long in the bunker. In a way, I was quite proud, because it just shows you how tough that hole is. But, I bounced back with a birdie,’ he said. ‘My only birdie on the next hole, on the par-five 13th.…

You can’t exactly call the 7555-yard Augusta National a walk in the park. In fact, it is ranked with Kapalua in Hawaii as one of the two toughest golf courses to walk on the PGA Tour, even more so if You’re a caddie. Augusta is deceptively hilly, with fair way undulations and hills, and greens that make you look again when you exoerience them for the first time in-person. They say that a photograph tells a thousand words, but for Augusta National there’s only one word:‘Wow!’ And in picking up his second Masters Green Jacket in three years, world No 1 Scottie Scheffler made it all look so casual. Before he claimed his first Masters in 2022 he later admitted to being a tearful bag of nerves in the hours…

Metropolitan may not be set in a large natural forest, have a massive coastal vista from each hole, nor possess a full 18 holes. What it does have is a location in the middle of Cape Town, flanked on the northem side by the Atlantic Ocean and majestic views of Lion’s Head and Table Mountain in the south. Established in 1895, Metropolitan Golf Club boasts behing the second-oldest club in Cape Town behind only Royal Cape. Like many courses of its age, it has changed location on one occasion with the building of Cape Town Stadium for the World Cup football tournament. Construction of the stadium began in 2007. It was around this time designer Mark Muller was commissioned to use an alternative space offered by the city to create…

ELS FOR AUTISM The prestigious Els Club Copperleaf was an amazing spectacle and provided an excellent platform to raise funds and awareness about the incredible work done by the Els for Autism Foundation. The unwavering support and commitment from the organisers, players and sponsors meant the foundation was laid for a massive year of golf events across the whole of South Africa. The Els Club Copperleaf was the first of 11 golf events and pulled out all the stops as a club. A large field of more than 100 players teed off and were treated to excellent conditions and a pristine golf course. ‘We couldn’t have asked for a better day to get things going for 2024; it was a really good way to begin the year,’ said Nico van…

Most golf fans are aware of the Champions Dinner,the honorary starters, the Par 3 Contest and the Green Jacket. Some may even recognise Amen Corner, the distinctive caddies’ overalls and Rae’s Creek. Yet there are a few other quirky Masters traditions that contribute to the Mystique of the first Major of the year. Amateur Dinner The Amateur Dinner is held every Monday night of Tournament week and celebrates that year’s amateur participants with a dinner in the clubhouse.Generally there are seven amateurs who qualify for the event, along with any special invitations, but this year only saw five amateurs teeing it up at Augusta, with US Amateur champion Nick Dunlap and NCAA Individual champion Fred Biondi having since turned professional and having therefore forfeited their invitations. Dunlap still played at…

ANDY CAPOSTAGNO COLUMN A CORNER DEDICATED TO GOLF’S TRIERS I used to love press conferences. They were a chance to meet sports people in an informal environment, banter with them and uncover stories that ordinary questions could not. Some of the most memorable press conferences I’ve ever attended were on golf courses. At my first Million Dollar in 1992, the new superstar of South African golf joined the press in a converted crèche. Theodore Ernest Els had just played his first competitive round at Sun City in the company of Freddie ‘Boom Boom’ Couples, the charismatic American noted for his monster drives. ‘So Ernie,’ came the first question from the floor, ‘how did your length compare with Freddie’s?’ ‘I don’t know,’ came the reply. ‘I didn’t shower with him.’ Some…

The medical term “alopecia” which means hair loss is derived from the Greek word, “alopex” meaning fox which was originally associated with mange noted no fox fur. Hair loss is a common concern affecting millions of people worldwide. While it’s often associated with aging, hair loss can occur at any stage of life due to various factors. Individuals experiencing hair loss should consult with a healthcare professional to understand the cause of their hair loss and to explore personalized treatment options tailored to their specific needs and circumstances Quote from Dr Catherine Davies a.k.a the hair guru, “The greatest learning curve I have had from trating hair loss over the past 18 years is the psychological impact that it can have on a person.”. Dr Cathy has a special interest…

Physical literacy is the combination of mastering fundamental movement skills and then progressing on to fundamental sport skills. This allows children to see understand and react to movements going on around them. Physical literacy can only be achieved once a child has mastered both fundamental movement skills (FMS) and fundamental sport skills (FSS); and fundamental sport skills before specific techniques. This is a sure way to ensure that they reach their true potential in a specific sport, whatever level that may be. Learning fundamental sport skills before mastering the related fundamental movement skills actually reduces performance ability late in life. For most skills, children need to go through a series of developmental stages. The challenge is to help them learn the next level of the skill appropriately, rather than pushing…

SIGNATURE HOLE It is not that common to have a par three as a closing hole. The uniqueness of this hole is further influenced by being set besides one of the world’s most iconic stadiums and Table Mountain being one of the world’s natural wonders At 172m in length and slightly downhill, it is easy not to take this hole seriously. It has however spoilt many a good round by being underestimated. Often playing into the wind, with an elevated tee. you need to be sure of club selection Not only to reach the hole but also not putting too much spin on the ball. This needs careful consideration as the green slopes strongly from back to front and is protected by a water hazard in the front. During tournament…

Charl Barnard made amends for a heart-breaking loss in last year’s final to capture the Nomads SA Boys U19 Match Play Championship title at Benoni Country Club. Just a year after going down in the final to Pearce Lewin at Pecanwood, the 18-yearold from Centurion Country Club defeated Woodhill’s Fabrizio de Abreu 3 & 2 in the 36-hole final to record the biggest win of his career. ‘It’s a great feeling,’ Barnard said. ‘I left Pecanwood last year with a bit of a sour taste in my mouth, so to be able to win it this year is an amazing feeling and I’m really proud.’ Despite a nervy start to the final, where he lost the first two holes, Barnard raced to a 5-up lead through 17 holes courtesy of…

ASHLEIGH BUHAI COLUMN Dave and I were fortunate to go to Augusta last year for the first time; we went on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The size of the property is incredible. It’s mind-blowing how you just walk for miles and miles and miles to get anywhere. That and the fact that nothing is out of place is quite something, and the grounds are just beautiful. The holes are good for watching, too, because they run next to each other. But from when you go through the entrance to the 1st and 10th tees, you’ve probably walked the equivalent of three par fives. Augusta, St Andrews and Pebble Beach are the most iconic venues in golf. What makes Augusta so special is the traditions. If you’re a golfer you…

There are pressing questions about someone who plays golf and is named Tiger and whose surname is not Woods. ‘Yeah, so I m not sure why my parents decided to name me after Tiger Woods,’ says Robin Tiger Williams, who is going to have to tell this story over and over again if is career keeps heading on its current trajectory. ‘My dad was a mad-keen golfer. I got in the game because he played. I was born in 2001 while Tiger Woods was the biggest thing on the planet. My dad was a big Tiger fan. Actually, he was more of a cricket player and he wanted to name me after Sachin Tendulkar, and I’m not sure how that would have been. I’m glad they went with Tiger! ‘I’ve…

Schalk Brits, who holds the distinction of being the oldest Springbok to win the Rugby World Cup, has been honing his craft during a yearlong sabbatical. Brits has managed to become a scratch golfer from a 5-handicap. And such are his talents on the greens that he saw off the pro in a closest-to-the-pin competition at the Dimension Data Pro-Am in February while his partner Kyle Barker, who turned professional in 2017, watched on. ‘With a great partner like Kyle I could just go pin-up all day,’ Brits told Compleat Golfer from Fancourt where he was playing a round with his sons. ‘I had a good strike, it took a kind bounce and I got closer to the pin than the pro which was fantastic because we also won an…

We’re back on track for the Paris Olympics, which will be the third in a row after a break of 112 years. The two gold medallists in the men’s individual competition were Justin Rose (Brit] and Xander Schauffele (USA]. The women’s gold medallists have been Inbee Park (Kor) and Nelly Korda (USA). The top-15 world-ranked players will be eligible for the Olympics, with a limit of four players from any one country. Beyond the top 15, players will be eligible based on the World Ranking, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top 15. South Africa’s two men’s golfers heading for Paris as things stand are Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Erik van Rooyen, and Ashleigh Buhai and…

There are moments in this game when you are gifted an immense privilege. One of those moments came for me when I sat in a golf cart with Denis Hutchinson under a magnificent kameeldoring tree at Sishen Golf Club several years ago doing what ‘Hutchie’ has always loved - talking about and celebrating South African golf. Recently, the boy who found golf by accident after a bout of bilharzia halted his main love for cricket and tennis, turned 92. Almost as old as that kameeldoring we sat under. It was under this tree that I asked ‘Hutchie’ what his advice would be for living the kind of full life he has. You would expect a man so steeped in the game of golf would default to something involving fairways and…

REINARD KILIAN RULES The term ‘Reasonable Judgement’ was introduced in the Rules of Golf in 2019 when they were thoroughly revised and updated. In golf, you are mostly your own referee and the Rules trust you to do the right thing. In ircumstanceswhere you can’t be exact, as long as you use Reasonable Judgement, the Rules will accommodate that and you won’t be penalised even if it is later found that you were inded wrong. For example, if you use Reasonable Judgement in estimating a location such as where you last crossed the margin of a penalty area, you judgement will be accepted in the Rules. A good example of this was at. The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. Rory Mcllroy drove his ball into a red penalty area adjacent…

GARY LEMKE COLUMN Recently, I had a heart procedure. It didn’t go as planned and after seven days in ICUI was discharged under strict orders to take it easy, rest, and do not let your heart rate go over 80 bpm’. It was also advised that I discard my heart-rate monitor on my wrist and ‘stop checking my pulse’. Experts, hey? The drugs they gave me worked, like a dream The craziest dreams, mind you In fact, that’s what spawned this column, which is being written 10 minutes after waking up on the Sunday morning after watching LIV Golf (Miami) late into the Saturday evening. In this dream. I had been playing at the Dimension Data Pro-Am at Fancourt [that’s why it’s called a dream) It was across two days…

MEN OPEN 1 (1) Altin van der Merwe (Bellville GC) 2 (2) Jordan Burnand (Ebotse GC) 3 (8) Astin Wade Arthur (Mount Edgecombe CC) 4 (5) Simon du Plooy (Krugersdorp GC) 5 (7) Ivan Verster (Pinnacle Point GE) 6 (3) Daniel Bennett (Silver Lakes CC) 7 (9) Jean Pierre van der Watt (Humewood GC) 8 (6) Jordan Wessels (Mooinooi GC) 9 (11) Tristan Leonard (Southdowns CC) 10 (12) Damian Osner (Pinnacle Point GE & Mossel Bay GC) 11 (-) Dian Kruger (Centurion CC) 12 (10) Dylan Kayne (Pearl Valley GE) 13 (-) Charl Barnard (Centurion CC) 14 (14) Janko van der Merwe (Magaliesberg CC) 15 (15) Pieter Rossouw (Pearl Valley GE) 16 (20) Fabrizio de Abreu (Woodhill CC) 17 (16) Nash de Klerk (Pecanwood G&CC) 18 (4) Oliver Goldhill (Magaliespark…

MAY PICK OF THE MONTH PGA CHAMPIONSHIP 16-19 MAY 2023 winner: Brooks Koepka claimed a PGA Championship hat-trick and a landmark Major win for LIV Golf, but the day also belonged to Michael Block, a 46-year-old club professional, who capped a golfing fairytale with a holein-one. Koepka, saying he had learnt his lesson from The Masters when he led by two going into the final round before a collapse opened the door for Jon Rahm to grab the Green Jacket, began the day with a one-shot advantage and would not let go. In a cool, clinical display. Koepka returned a three-under 67 for a winning total of nine-under 271 and a two-shot victory over world No 2 Scottie Scheffler and Norway’s Viktor Hovland. ‘I just learned I knew what I…

RYAN CAIRNS COLUMN Golf course design is an art form that blends nature, strategic thinking and architectural creativity to curate a playing experience that challenges and inspires golfers of all levels. From the rolling hills of Fancourt Links to the rugged coastlines of Wild Coast Country Club, the golf courses across South Africa boast a diverse collection that stands out for its beauty, challenge and innovation in design. The pinnacle of this elite club globally is, of course, Augusta National Golf Club, home of The Masters, which stands out as the symbol of excellence in its architectural perfection. The most aweinspiring element of Augusta National, however, is its pristine condition. I recently reviewed a poll that asked glofers what they rated as the most important drawcard for them to return…

REPLAY Tim Clark finally got the monkey off his back when he won for the first time on the PGA Tour – and he did so in style, by beating the best field in golf at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Clark played the final 26 holes without a bogey and made an eight-foot par putt on the final hole for a five-under-par 67 to win The Players Championship with a record 36-hole comeback. ‘I did all I could there,’ said the 34-year-old South African. ‘That’s as good as I could have played.’ Clark, who was seven shots behind going into the weekend, made four consecutive birdies around the turn to take the lead, and no one could catch him. Robert Allenby had the best chance, but an…