LEGENDARY professional golfers from Soweto joined the Sunshine Tour and City of Johannesburg in bringing the inspirational message of Gary Player’s career to a new generation of golfers.
The 50th anniversary of Player’s Major Grand Slam title was recognised during a golf day which was held at the Soweto Country Club on Saturday, August 15. Player, who turns 80 in November also enjoyed a special pre-birthday party with the golfing community.
Player’s global achievements, at a time when most South Africans did not have access to television, and his pioneering work in golf development has led to the successful structures in South African golf today. It is this story that will be told to a new generation of Soweto’s young golfing stars.
In a year in which Player is being honoured around the world for his golf achievements and for still being the only non-American and one of five players in history to have won the career Grand Slam, the Black Knight said it was particularly emotional to share this journey with the people of Soweto.
“At the start of my career, I always said that when I am a world champion I want to be able to help people. I want to be remembered more for the fact that I cared about my fellow human beings than how great a golfer I was. I want to thank the Soweto golf community for accepting me and allowing me to be a part of their lives and their careers. The memories I have of them are some of the fondest of my career. I am humbled by the fact that my career could perhaps inspire a young golfer from Soweto to become a world champion one day.”
Player’s efforts to bring about unity in South African golf, his attempts to gain sponsorship for various Soweto golfers and their tournaments, and his own efforts in helping to design the Soweto Country Club sowed the seeds of this country’s most successful golf development programme.
The Sunshine Tour will be using the funds from the golf day to help further the development of the Soweto Country Club.
The club has a rich golf history dating back to 1974. The club produced three generations of professional African golfers, including players such as Cox Nhlapho, Vincent Tshabalala, Theo Manyama, Derrick Lekomo, Norman Mashaba, Solly Oliphant, Bafana Hlophe, Mawonga Nomwa, Thabang Simon, Sipho Bujela, Musiwalo Nethunzwi and Godfrey Mphaga.
One of the oldest active members of the club is the legendary Dr Andrew Mlangeni, who spent over two decades on Robben Island and, who through the Andrew Mlangeni Golf Development programme, helps develop junior golfers.
