Dube makes PGA of SA history
JOBURG – Dube has been a member of the PGA for 18 years and has been involved in a number of facets of the PGA of South Africa making an invaluable contribution to the game.
Kenneth Dube was announced as the 2018 PGA of South Africa Professional of the Year at the association’s annual awards at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club on September 17 making him the first black South African professional to achieve this honour.
“Dube, the golf director at the Royal Oak Golf Club and also the winner of the PGA Club Professional Award for 2018, was, along with four other PGA Professionals who were award winners in the categories of club management, coaching, grow golf and entrepreneur, in line for the overall PGA Professional of the Year Award and the grand prize of a Mercedes Benz C-180 for a year,” said sports communication specialist Michael Vlismas.
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Vlismas said the awards evening was also highlighted by Denis Hutchinson being named as the PGA Ambassador of the Year in recognition of his 58 years as a member of the association, of which he is also a Master Professional Member, Honorary Life Member and Honorary Life President of the PGA.
“Dube has been a member of the PGA for 18 years and has been involved in a number of facets of the PGA of South Africa, making an invaluable contribution to the game. He was a member of the PGA’s board of directors from 2003-2004 and has served for many years on the Gauteng Central PGA committee. Dube is a very active member of the association playing in every national and regional pro-am that he is able to and has been the winner of the national Order of Merit on a few occasions. He is also a past PGA national champion and in addition to his golf director responsibilities at Royal Oak, he opened the Kenneth Dube Golf Academy, which has grown to 70 students,” said chief executive of the PGA of South Africa, Ivano Ficalbi.
The awards evening recognised a wide range of excellence within South Africa’s oldest association of professional golfers who work at the forefront of the golf industry in South Africa.
“San Lameer Country Club’s Meyer du Toit was named as the winner of the PGA Management Award recognising, in particular, his work in the region with the Mark McNulty Junior Golf Foundation and the hosting of several junior events at San Lameer.
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“Peter Berman was recognised for his work in growing the game with the Grow Golf Award. As the owner of Scratch Golf, Berman has helped grow the game in the Knysna area and now employs five PGA coaches to run a junior academy for over 40 children as well as introducing over 3 000 school children to the game of golf at their schools,” said Vlismas.
