THE Uitenhage Golf Club in collaboration with the National Lottery made a group of young golf development players happier than scoring a birdie, eagle, or albatross.
The group of 33 Uitenhage members of the South African Golf Development Board each received a hamper containing golf shirts, caps and a hoody. The four top players in addition each received a top of the range golf cart, golf shoes, an umbrella, golf balls and various other golf items.
Frans de Kock, manager and coach of the South African Golf Development Board’s Eastern Province: Uitenhage region said, “Most of these young development players see this donation as an early Christmas present. It was an absolute pleasure to see the excitement and happiness on their faces after they received items they did not previously have.
“They indeed are very thankful, and we wish to thank the National Lottery for making the funds available and thank you to the Uitenhage Golf Club and all its members for making this possible. Especially a huge thank you to Morris Olivier, the manager at the Uitenhage Golf Club, who took the initiative applying for the funds.”
Devon Valentine (15) a learner at Daniel Pienaar THS and one of the top SAGDB players who benefitted from the donation said, “I am very thankful and happy for I did not have most of these items that I received today.”
Valentine said he is a fan of American professional golf player Matthew Wolff, whilst Marcelo Jantjies, another local SAGDB player said he admires Tiger Woods.
According to Jantjies (17), also a learner at Daniel Pienaar THS, the donation he received will contribute to improving his golf playing.
“Apart from golfing skills, the development programme has over the past five years taught me a lot about respect and discipline. I am now much more focussed in my life than previously.”
According to De Kock there currently are 55 children involved in a golf development programme in the Uitenhage region. Coaching happens at the Caritas Primary School’s sports field.
“The three pillars when joining the programme remain as always: first practise on a sports field, secondly on the driving range and thirdly the golf course. From experience I can state without a doubt there can be no short-cuts in this game.
“Hard work always beats talent, when talent doesn’t work,” said De Kock.
According to him, some of the players are starting to show “some teeth now, but it remains a big challenge to get most parents involved.”
For exposure and experience, the top local SAGDB players are encouraged and allowed to participate in senior golf tournaments to monitor their progress. Three of the top players recently excelled during a triangular golf competition played at Humewood Golf Club, between Eastern Province, Border and Southern Cape.
Johndre Ludick came third scoring (71), with Devon Valentine in fourth place (73) and Marcelo Jantjies ended in 32nd position scoring 83 points.
De Kock also thanked the Uitenhage Golf Club for making its facilities available, free of charge, to the young golf development players. He emphasized that this all contributes to the South African Golf Development Board’s slogan of “Growing the Game, Building the Nation”.
- For more information about the local activities of the SAGDB call Frans de Kock at 084 2447 703 or email: fdekock@sagolfboard.org
