A familiar face to members and guests throughout the decades, van Velzen will bow out at the Lake Club at the end of August.
A special farewell golf day to be held on August 17, has been organised by the club’s management to thank him for his dedication, service and friendship over the years.
“It has been a long journey,” said van Velzen, a Farrarmere resident.
“I joined the club as a member in 1978 when I was a 17-year-old Benoni High School learner.”
He first etched his name in the club’s history in 1982 when he won the Lake’s club championships during a weekend pass from his national service duties at the time.
“I hadn’t played golf in three or four months and just happened to receive a weekend pass when club champs were being played.
“I managed to get into the draw and didn’t even play with the A-Division guys.
“I ended up playing with two B-Division guys and went on to win it.
“I then won it again the following year when I was out of the army.”
His talent led to his turning professional in 1984, at the age of 24. A double drop, however, on the last hole at Kyalami Country Club during a tour school qualifying tournament, saw him miss out on a card for the now Sunshine Tour by a single shot.
“If I had known at the time what was at stake, I would have played that hole differently.”
In 1985 the pro shop at the Lake Club, run by George Harvey, became vacant and van Velzen (who had served as an informal apprentice at the shop), got the job after he was recommended to the club’s executive by Harvey.
“I started off small at the shop with not much to my name.
“My first weekend in charge was strange.
“George left me with a fish bowl of second-hand golf balls and a few packets of tees – it was all I had to show at that stage.”
From there on the stock grew, the members supported the shop well and van Velzen never looked back.
He eventually did earn his tour-playing card in the late eighties and nineties, but could not play full-time due to his commitments at the retail shop.
“I did okay on the tour – not great, but I loved tournament golf and played many Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) events and plenty of pro-ams with members.
“They were great times and memories that you never forget.
“I played all over the show on the top courses in the country and met lots of fantastic people.”
Over the years, he was also involved in a number of developments at the Lake Club, including a major upgrade of the greens and bunker complexes in 1989 that “put Lake on the map”.
The upgrades also brought Middle Lake more into play on holes 15, 16 and 17.
Recently, he was involved in the development of the new dam on the fourth and fifth holes which he says “definitely strengthened the front nine.”
Besides hosting numerous tournaments at the course over the years, it is his involvement in junior golf that he is most proud of.
He has been actively involved not only in the management of junior leagues, but the coaching of them as well.
“I have also been involved in scratch league for many years.
“This year the Lake Club finished third in the league with a young team, which bodes well for the future of the club.”
Some other personal achievements include serving on the PGA of SA’s board of directors as chairman of the Gauteng region, as well as playing for and captaining the provincial team a few times in the Webster Cup (Ryder Cup format).
He was the PGA of SA’s Club Professional of the Year in 2006.
That achievement saw him inducted into the Cranbourne Lane of Fame by Max and Joe Civin.
“It was a proud moment as a Benonian, to have my name next to those of famous people such as Baby Jake Matlala and Charlize Theron.”
Van Velzen said he was an introverted person growing up and that his job as a club pro helped him to gain more confidence and come out of his shell.
He will now head up the driving range at Benoni Country Club (BCC), where he will manage the club’s juniors and teach golf from beginner to elite level (his biggest passion).
At the range, he will also run a custom club-fitting studio for elite golfers. This has been another passion of his.
His other adventure will see him involved in the re-opening of the Sunward Park Driving Range in Boksburg, which will probably take place in October or November.
Van Velzen also had some advice for his successor and other club professionals: “Look after and listen to your members; they are the heartbeat of your club.
“Find a way to attract young golfers and keep them on as members.
“Chances are they’ll stay loyal to the club as it becomes like their second home.”
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