Amanzimtoti golfers back to carving up the fairways
Golf means a chance to socialise and enjoy the environment.
One person who was elated to hear Toti golfers were finally allowed to play a round was longtime Amanzimtoti Country Club member and scribe, Gill Symons, 58.
She started playing golf when she quit hockey about 25 years ago. “I was encouraged by Shirley Petzer and was hooked from the very first time I played. I love the good scenery, good company, good exercise and (occasionally) really good golf.”
She joined Toti Golf Club when Twini closed its doors in 2004. “With us living in Athlone Park, it made sense to stay local, so the option of joining Umkomaas or the Bluff didn’t even make the shortlist.”
She was the club’s SUN scribe for three years, which she described as fun, but challenging, as every article elicited either good or bad comments.
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She has been the ladies captain six times between 2008 and 2019. “When I first started at Twini Hockey Club it didn’t take long until committee service beckoned. Since then, with a two year break when Rob and I got married and moved to Boksburg, I have been a committee member, mostly taking the role of scribe.”
Gill was born in Germiston and did her schooling at Athlone Park Primary and Kingsway High School, where she works today. She has been married to Rob for 35 years and they have two children – Susan, 33, and Mandy, 32. “They are both married, to Shaun and Mario, and there are no grandchildren yet, but we’re waiting.”
She has been club champ six times, including strokeplay and matchplay, all in the bronze division. “I have spent many years switching the winning position with Sue Boucher. I also somehow managed to win the silver matchplay champs in 2007.”
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She has taken a break from competing in the last two years due to injury, but this year is in the running to win again, once competing resumes. Asked if the break has been good for her game, she replied: “If nothing else, I have more patience and don’t take the game too seriously. Golf means a chance to socialise and enjoy the environment.”
Gill is not a member of any other sports clubs, but has promised to return to the weekly parkrun when that resumes. Hobbies include reading, walking their dogs, playing darts with her hubby and gardening.
“Lockdown was actually very good for Rob and I. He recently retired and we spent lots of time sorting out our house and garden. Fortunately we have a treadmill, so we could exercise, but I did miss the company of our members and not being able to walk our dogs.
“We never touched our golf clubs during lockdown, so I played on Saturday (20 June) for the first time. I walked around the course with a goofy smile on my face and every now and then I was rewarded with a good shot, which was enough to get me back on the course this past weekend.”
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