The academy has been a dream of Ebotse Links’ Sunshine Tour professional Grant Veenstra for a couple of years now.
The retired Protea players are good friends with Veenstra, who has partnered with Ebotse’s golf director and club professional Craig Stickling to take over ownership of the driving range (the only range in the country that uses floating golf balls).
The academy will provide top class coaching facilities for elite junior golfers from the region and will, in the long run, turn its focus to development of golf in the region.
“The juniors here are the future of the game and this is where we want to grow the sport,” Stickling told the City Times.
“Ebotse and the driving range here is a perfect setting for any junior to learn the game.
“They will certainly benefit from all the knowledge that Grant and his coaching team have here.”
He added that the academy offers the TrackMan 4 device (the only one in South Africa) and the sand putting lab with instructor Robbie Stewart.
Stickling will work more in the background from a management perspective while Veenstra will lead the way in terms of coaching.
“This will go a long way towards making Ebotse and the Grant Veenstra Academy the home of junior golf in Ekurhuleni and Gauteng.”
Veenstra said that now that he and Stickling own the range it is the right time to launch his academy.
“I am extremely excited,” he said.
“We have got a lot of top youngsters from the Ekurhuleni area.”
He described Ebotse as the “perfect location.”
“It is a five-star estate with terrific short game facilities.
“I fell in love with the place when I first visited.”
He added that the academy will also work towards helping juniors and their parents with sponsorships so that they can take part in more tournaments overseas.
Meanwhile, Kallis and Boucher both enjoyed a round at the course on Saturday morning and won the Saturday club Betterball Stableford competition with 47 points on count out.
To make their stay in Benoni even better the pair of cricketers were announced, on Saturday night, by club captain Sheldon Monk as honorary members of Ebotse Links.
Both will be playing in the Ebotse Links Captain’s Charity Day on October 29.
Don’t forget to join us on the course for a cause at the Benoni City Times and Buco Rietpan Charity Golf Day on September 1, CLICK HERE for more information.
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