Young Tembisa golfer meets President Ramaphosa for a round of golf
The Tembisa Golf Club development programme was initiated by the club’s executive committee in 2012
Tembisa Golf Club’s own star golfer Tokollo Dhlamini has been raising the Tembisa flag high.
She has been invited to play golf with President Cyril Ramaphosa at the annual Presidential Golf Challenge at Atlantic Beach Golf Estate in Melkbosstrand on February 8, soon after her trip from Malaysia in December.
The 12-year-old has been with Tembisa Golf Club’s development programme from 2012 under the management of coach and manager of Tembisa Golf Club’s Sam Serongoane.
Tokollo’s mother Linaht Dhlamini, an employee at Kempton Park Golf Club, took her child to work where she fell in love with the sport of golf.
“I was worried about her safety while I went to work, so I decided to take her to the club and during that time she started playing with other kids,” said Linaht.
Tokollo, who is still a learner at Endulweni Primary School, has won several certificates and medals.
“I am grateful to Greg Kruger, a member of Kempton Park Golf Club who sponsored Tokollo’s trip to Malaysia to participate in a world tournament.”
Serongoane said they let her handle her school work as a priority since school has to come first.
The Tembisa Golf Club development programme was initiated by the club’s executive committee in 2012, where Tokollo started her journey.
Today I had the pleasure of meeting Tokollo Dhlamini from Kempton Park. She’s 12 and a budding golfer who has her sights set on a career in medicine. A keen competitor who has inspired me greatly with her skill and a passion for her books - in her I’ve found a doctor and coach. pic.twitter.com/OsWuNsJRdF
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) February 8, 2019
“The aim of the programme is to take kids off the streets, away from drugs and violence and educate them in sport,” said Serongoane.
“We use the grounds at Kempton Park Golf Club and that is where we do our training sessions with Tokollo,” he further explained.
Organising secretary Benjamin Monyanyedi called on parents to encourage their kids of all ages to take up golf as a serious sport. “We appreciate individuals and organisations putting effort in to helping our kids to grow within the development and with the sport,” said Monyanyedi.
“We must also give applause to people like Frans Molepo and Harry Mthembu for the foundation they created for youngsters, one of them being Lebo Makume, another young golfer from Tembisa.
Linaht said her daughter would like to become a professional golfer one day and be successful in training others and pursue this sport as a profession.
