‘Ebotse feels like a family’ – new CEO

Papenfus, who commenced with duties on August 1, is a man with bucket loads of experience in the golf club management industry.

He has held top-level positions at a number of courses, including Hermanus Golf Club, Houghton Golf Club, Country Club Johannesburg and, most recently, the Sea Cliff Resort in Zanzibar.

The new CEO is thrilled to have taken up this important position at the Benoni-based estate.

“It is a huge privilege to be associated with Ebotse, the fastest growing golf estate in the country,” he told the City Times.

“I have worked at some pretty darn nice places, but this is just wonderful.

“From the time my wife, Carin, and I arrived here the people have done nothing but make us feel at home.”

The born and bred Bethlehem, Free State, resident has spent most of his working life working in Johannesburg.

“Many years ago I was in the building industry with my brother, when we ran a big development company.

“In 1992, when things started changing, we saw that the writing was on the wall as far as labour is concerned, so I made a change and started working in the pro shop at Randfontein Golf Club, where I started right at the bottom,” Papenfus said.

“What I continuously did there was to make it my business to know everything about each department in golf, like food and beverage, green keeping and finance

“I probably put my nose where it didn’t belong sometimes, but it worked out for me.

“For the past 17 years I’ve been in senior/top management positions at some brilliant courses, for which I have been blessed.”

His biggest objective as CEO of Ebotse Links is to bring together all the parties that make up Ebotse Golf and Country Estate (homeowners, golfers and staff) in a homely, family-orientated environment.

“People spend millions of Rand to buy homes here and they are entitled to the best, as are the golfers who pay their fees to play here,” he said.

With some new alterations and upgrades happening at the clubhouse, Papenfus hopes to cater to everybody’s needs.

“Where there is a divide we will bring people together, and I can only see us going forward at a rate of knots,” he added.

With the Benoni City Times/Buco Rietpan Charity Golf Day taking place on Wednesday, September 9, at Ebotse Links, the City Times asked Papenfus what guests can expect when they arrive at the estate for the golf day.

“The biggest thing that guests can expect is our five-star service,” he said.

“After they get to the gate, play their golf to the halfway house and attend the function thereafter, they will leave Ebotse with the feeling of a fantastic experience.”

As far as the golf itself is concerned, Papenfus is confident that guests who may have never played at Ebotse will thoroughly enjoy one of the country’s top links courses.

“A big focus has been centred on making the playability of the course a lot friendlier, as it can be particularly unforgiving in winter,” he said.

The new CEO added that he is looking forward to a long and prosperous stay at Ebotse.