A Weekend Honouring a Legend: Celebrating Gary Player’s 90th at Sun City
Exactly two weeks ago, I had the privilege of being part of an unforgettable celebration. The 90th birthday weekend of golf legend Gary Player, held at the iconic Sun City Resort. It wasn’t just an event, it felt like stepping into a living story filled with joy, heritage, and purpose.
Friday
The Start of Something Special
The weekend began with a relaxed practice round of golf, the perfect way to ease into the festivities. Afterwards, I checked into the majestic Palace of the Lost City, a place that never fails to take my breath away with its grandeur and warmth. There’s something about coming back here and seeing all the familiar faces, makes it feel like a reunion of some of Gary’s biggest fans.
That evening, we gathered under the African sky for an African-themed welcome dinner. The theme, Echoes of Africa, felt alive in every detail. The décor, the energy, the music. Zoleka set the tone for the night with her beautiful performance, adding a soulful touch to an already magical atmosphere. Under the stars at the Boma with music, reconnecting with friends you only get to see once a year. It was the perfect beginning to a spectacular weekend.
Echoes of Africa
Saturday
Celebrating 90 Years of Greatness
Saturday was Gary’s actual birthday, and the day could not have been more fitting. Bumping into him at breakfast and getting a chance to wish him happy birthday could not have been a perfect way to start the day.
My team, Team McClatchie, started with a round of golf at the legendary Gary Player Country Club, a course that holds so much history and pride and getting to play it on Gary’s birthday felt special. It was not the start we were were hoping for, especially for me. The Sun City heat, once again got the better of me. I struggled and was saved by a mini hour and a half weather delay break. Feeling slightly better, I finished the last 5 holes with a pep in my step. At the end of the day we were laying 21 out of 43 teams at the clubhouse.
The Party
Happy 90th Gary
That evening, we all made our way to The Super Bowl, transformed into a spectacular space worthy of a man whose impact stretches far beyond golf. I must say, every one looked especially beautiful. It was a Black Tie event and we honoured the code.
The Sharpes
Garys entrance, hand in hand with our golf makoti, his lovely girlfriend Susan was exactly how I had imagined it would be, Majestic. Talk about making an entrance.
The night was filled with memories, heartfelt tributes, and moments that brought tears to more than a few eyes. There was not a dry eye on my table. It was a true celebration of a life lived with passion, discipline, and heart.
His family and guests had come far and wide and it was a beautiful sight to see. I am eternally grateful to have been around to witness this living legend be celebrated.
Sunday
Day 2 of Golf
Our final morning began with a wonderful breakfast at the Palace, followed by Day 2 of golf, this time at the Lost City Golf Course. Compared to the day before, the course was kinder.
Team McClatchie started the day at position 21 and we were ready to kick off the day with our 7:40 tee time. It was such a beautiful morning already. After a weekend of partying and enormous celebrations the night before, the team was grateful to be on carts. We played a better game. I sure did. Shooting better scores and finishing strong with a spectacular drive on hole 9 to finish with a par. My god of thunder was awake (Driver). We finished the tournament T15. A huge improvement from previous day.
We played a better game as a team overall and me personally. We could have climbed even higher on the leaderboard if the putts could have just dropped. Alas, such is the game.
Always great to see the ladies at this event. GVPI 2025
A Celebration With Purpose
Amid all the beauty, the glamour, and the unforgettable moments, the heart of the weekend remained clear, Golf and Giving. This celebration, like many others hosted by Gary Player, was in support of the Gary & Vivienne Player Invitational, with The Blair Atholl Pre-Primary School as its beneficiary.
Because beyond the golf, the dinners, and the dancing, the true meaning lies in coming together to make a difference. Something that Gary Player has championed throughout his life with the help of his wonderful late wife Vivienne. Who too was celebrated on the night.
Overall, a once in a lifetime moment that will live in our hearts forever.
Thank you Gary and your team for treating us like family on your special weekend.
Being back in Johannesburg will always mean I try and find time to play my home course, Royal Johannesburg Golf. It always feels like coming home. When the halfway staff tell you they’ve missed you, you should come more often, and the front desk and proshop are always on point and are ready to assist with anything. The grounds staff going out of their way to ĺook for my daughters lost phone on the course and actually finding it. One of my favourite things about this course is also just how my kids absolutely love it too. Any excuse for them to tag along is always a good day out on the course.
WEST SIDE
The beautiful and scenic West Course is most definitely a good place to start. With my fourball not quite getting it together on the last minute. I ended up going out alone. I managed to get my good friend Precious, who doesn’t play at all to tag along for great company. We have spent many hours on the course watching tournaments together, but after this ride along, she’s ready to start playing. The beauty of the West did the job. One down, a few more to go. If I could get all my friends to play, my job would be done.
Birdie time!
It was such a gorgeous day out. The weather was stunning, the course pristine as usual, and the game was not too bad after coming back from a diabolic episode at Fancourt. There is nothing like the home course to show you love. I realised how I miss playing alone. Something I used to do quite often. Maybe I should get back to basics, and the game will come back to me…
Flag Collected!!!
EAST SIDE
On this day, I said East on a Wednesday, and the response was “any day for the beast.” With my daughter and her partner Duncan, we set out to try and tame the ever so gorgeous beast that is the East Course. Something we know we can never do, but we try anyway because the feeling you get when you’re putting for par on that stroke 1 can never be duplicated.
East will take your breath away every single time. Regardless of how your day is going, it just never gets old. It can play really long when you’re having a bad day, and yet the beauty of it still keeps your emotions in check. You keep hoping the next hole will be better. On a good day, when your game is on fire,well now, that will make you want to come back the next day only to find it in beast mode. This is why we love it so much. The number of people who tell me how it is on their top 5 on the bucket list is evident enough.
East or West with you forever. ♥️
I had a horrible day with my driver and a better day with the short game, which saved me. The highlight was watching Maxine hit some beautiful shots on the 2nd 9 and her remembering that she has a mean swing, even on the East side.
With my boys being in a far, far away land, it was such a treat going out to play with my daughter. Her hectic schedule doesn’t allow for us to have a lot of time on the golf course. So, when the opportunity presented itself, I couldn’t let it pass. After all, she is my day golf buddy. As a teenager, she would come to the range and weekend lessons with me. We’d make it out to the course when she wasn’t at a sports meet somewhere.
Like me, she spent all her school years being the athlete and making every team possible. So her golf game came naturally. Even without playing at all, I can still see a glimpse of the girl who has the potential to beat me on a good day. I can only hope that she does too, because that would mean she’d be playing more.
Flag Collected!!!
One of these days I will get this team in one fourball. Every golfing parents dream. Now, wouldn’t that be something.
This February turned out to be the best golfing month in my entire golf existence. Starting off with a six day golf trip to George with the best bunch of ladies and golf buddies. I was told it was just a girl’s trip, asked if I was keen, and my instructions were to just show up. I packed my bags a bit anxious because I was going on a trip for 6 days with 6 ladies, 7 including me.
The 7even sunset boat cruise. Mossel Bay
50 So Far…
My anxiety was caused by the fact that I had never traveled with so many people for so long, other than my kids. I have spent my entire life on solo trips, trips with my kids, and maybe once or twice a couple of friends. This was definitely going to be a new experience. I always felt my personality (functioning introvert) would never allow me to spend this much time in one house with 6 people who were not part of my immediate family. The calm came in knowing that was the bunch of ladies that I had said I would take anywhere, and the preparations and solid fun filled itinerary we had on our whatsapp group seemed flawless.
GEORGE
We set off on the morning flight to George. Arriving to perfect weather at 9:30am we had a hickup at the car rental, which was eventually solved. We headed straight to our very first trip activity… golf at George Golf Club. None of us had played George, and the excitement was palpable. On arrival, the reception we received from the club and it’s members was just wonderful. Sandra Lennox, the golf GM, had arranged for us to join the ladies’ competition on the day. The ladies’ captain and the George ladies greeted us with such joy and kindness. It was bound to be a good day out on the course.
George Golf Club
GEORGE GOLF CLUB
Set at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains, George Golf Course is one of the oldest courses in South Africa. George Golf Club was as stunning as I was told it would be. This was my 4th time in this part of the country, and I was finally getting to play it. After this experience, I now understand why it is regarded as one of the most delightful parkland courses in South Africa. Even while carting our way through the slightly undulating terrain, one could tell that it would be a wonderful walk along the attractive leafy fairways, surrounded by beautiful flora. My collection of “The Trees” shots was exceeded in one setting.
The Trees at George
This 18-hole Parklands course and it’s stunning layout was so much fun to play. I had a decent round and an overall wonderful experience and can not wait to go back and play it again. We joined the ladies at the prize-giving at the end of our round, and we were treated to some delicious finger foods. We had our own comp going on among us, R50 per birdie and R100 from each player (R700, IPS score and winner takes all but buys first round of drinks at the 19th. Our winner for Day 1, Ms Khomotso Phofa.
The 7evenThe Clubhouse view The 4ballFlag Collected George
The ladies all agreed that it needs to be the first stop for any of us every time we make a trip to George. Thank you, Sandra Lennox and Louis Mahne, and your wonderful stuff for a memorable experience on your home turf. We truly appreciate it, and we will definitely see you again. A gem worth discovering in the midst of some greats.
We later drove out in the evening headed towards Mossel Bay to check-in to our Sea View rental home in Pinnacle Point Golf Estate. We woke up the next morning to stunning views of the ocean and a lovely house setting. The house itself was just perfect.
We headed out at the time that we all had agreed on ✔️, back to George, because today we were tackling the lovely Kingswood Golf Estate. We arrived at Kingswood and grabbed a light breakfast before our tee time.
Kingswood
Kingswood Golf Estate was the one that surprised us the most because we had no idea what to expect and…. boom, another gem found in George. It is perfectly placed between the Fancourt Links and George Golf Course at the very heart of the Garden Route’s golf hub. Kingswood’s Championship Golf Course is a unique one.
The design, inspired by the Home of Golf, St Andrews , The Old Course with its Links style open fairways, undulating greens and traditional pot bunkers, that we had no business getting into and found it a challenge to get out of. There is no other course in South Africa like it.
The back nine views turn to the Outeniqua Mountains, and they are breathtakingly beautiful. We became instant golf tourists with every hole with its majestic views. What absolute fun. This was the one to play your best game, and I did just that. Winning the days competition. I’ll be baack!
The 7even The 3ballThe viewsFlag Collected Kingswood
PINNACLE POINT
Pinnacle Point
Designed by one of my favourite course designers, Peter Matkovich. This 18-hole championship course is set on a clifftop overlooking the Indian Ocean. Pinnacle Point, in true Matkovich style, is SPECTACULAR! Luckily enough to have met him and had a conversation with him about two of his courses in Mauritius. One of which remains my favorite course out of more than a dozen of his designs that I’ve had the privilege of playing. It has taken forever to get to Pinnacle Point, but boy, was I glad to finally make it there. The weather on the day was short of perfect. Ok, ok, it was blazing hot, and I got incredibly sunburned, and for the first time, I will say it was worth it.
Pinnacle
Our competition manager and fourballs team organizer, Ms. Naomi Molepo decided that a 6 club competition was how we would experience this monster of a course. Like clowns, we all agreed, knowing full well we were sending ourselves to a gunfight with swords. This course required ALL the swords in our bags and demanded a level of respect.
Naomi Every hole was a WOW Hole.
The dramatic hole settings with its majestic ocean views, pristine fairways, and lush greens were enough to make me forget my choice of clubs. I was determined to have a decent game, and if not, I truly was just happy to be out there experiencing the sheer beauty of it. There are more than enough spectacular holes, but the Par 3, hole 7 is the one that had us definitely all saying WOW from the tee box all the way to the green. The finishing 18 hole is also just stunning. What a way to finish. The only respectable thing to do now is to come back here again and again.
Our overall competition winner was the reigning Limpopo Ladies Open champ Ms Khomotso. The longest drive on Hole 10 Ms Rebotile Mahlake, Nearest to the pin Ms Naomi on hole 9. Congratulations, ladies. Drinks and dinner at the lovely clubhouse with its views of the ocean was the cherry on the cake.
Special thank you to Quintin Byleveldt and the wonderful golf course staff for being so accommodating with us and taking care of us . We will see you guys soon.
Flag Collected
Our following days were filled with laughter, great food, great conversations, and love. Our braai master Ms Khomotso was exceptional. We were golfed out for one week. We took a sunset boat cruise in Mossel Bay, had a delicious dinner at a local restaurant.
Little did I know that the ladies had planned a surprise 50th birthday dinner on our last night. The trick was to get me out of the house while they prepared. Knowing how much I wanted to go to the beach, Ms Tumi M was tasked with distracting me. We took a lovely walk to the beach and stopped over the 6th green for a mini photoshoot.
By the time we got back, there was a make-up artist and photographer, balloons, and cake. I walked into house to my favourite Beyonce song Halo playing in the background. The rest was such an emotional and beautiful evening that was far more than I hoped for. This circle was kind, caring, loving, accepting, and had a vulnerability that felt like home. Thank you, Naomi Molepo, Tumi Morekure, Lady Ratsela, Khomotso Phofa, Tumi Kekana, and Rebotile Mahlake for the time of my life. Let’s do it again. Until the next episode….
Side note: My 50th birthday was in October, but we are celebrating all year.
2023 has come and gone, and it turned out to be a slow year and even of less golf for me. Even though I didn’t get to play as much golf as I would have wanted to, there were still some incredible highlights to my golf year. The first one was the DiData at Fancourt early in the year that I wrote about in my, A Late Start blog.
This was followed by a line-up of Womens golf events that are always such a pleasure to be a part of. Starting off with the ITU Golf Wear Ladies event hosted by Emperors Palace at Glendower. It’s always a great fun event when the golf ladies get together and the event was just that.
ITU GOLF WEAR
Home Course
The golf year can never start fully without a game on the home course, Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Course. So, I rallied my trusted bunch of ladies for a game, and of course, they were kin because who doesn’t want the Royal Experience. The new West Course layout was waiting for us, as always, it did not disappoint, with its challenges and beautiful visuals. The ladies and I were so happy to play it after the changes, and we all felt like we were playing an entirely brand new course. My favourite hole 9, par 5 was now hole 18, for some reason, this made sense to me. What a great finishing hole.
Royal Johannesburg and Kensington WEST
Next was one that is always a highlight for all the ladies, The Joburg Ladies Open ProAm. Once again, held at the challenging and beautiful Modderfontein Golf Club. It is always a privilege getting to play golf with the pros. This time, the format was different and allowed us to play the course with two pros, a different one for each nine. Which turned out to be fun. Not the best golf from any of us amateurs on my fourball, but still a wonderful day out on the course. A great event, in true Joburg Ladies Open fashion.
Joburg Ladies Open Pro-Am Modderfontein Golf Club
We of course know that there can never be a golf year without Golf for Good. Playing golf for charity has to be one of the most rewarding things any golfer can do. Showing up and showing support for a great cause can never get old. Doing it while out doing something you love also makes it even more special. We started off the charity golf year with the Cupcakes Of Hope Golf Day at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington East Course. My fourball consisted of my usual suspects, the dream team, the ones who show up no matter what. Golf life with these ladies is not just golf…it is love wrapped up in laughter, joy, fun, and golf. It is the perfect fourball, I would take them anywhere… If you thought I loved golf, these girls are just as obsessed. We have played through icy cold rain, blistering heat, walked fairways and hours on end on golf courses while following our favourite pro golfers at tournaments. Asking these ladies to join me on a charity mission will always be the easiest ask. on this particular day, most fun was had…again. Thank you ladies. ❤️
Naomi, Khomotso, Tumi
Cupcakes Pink Day Cricket Golf CCJ
Flags Collected
2023’s Flag Collecting mission was definitely not what I had hoped it would be. I did manage to play and collect some of my favourite flags like, Serengeti, The River Club, Country Club Johannesburg, Glendower, Fancourt (Montagu & Outenniqua). BUT the ultimate flag collected was without a doubt Nkonyeni Golf Course in Eswatini. I finally got to play the “home” course after years of it being in my top five bucket list of courses to play. For years I got the question, “have you played Nkonyeni?” and my response was always met with silent judgement. Now I can reply “YESSS dammet”
Eswatini
Nkonyeni Golf Course
A GEM, smack bang in the middle of a bush. Situated in one of the hottest parts of the country, I was grateful that my first encounter was in winter. The invitation came from The Sunshine Tour and Eswatini FNB to play in the FNB Eswatini Challenge ProAm. There was no hesitation from me, I was finally getting to collect this flag I’ve been meaning to collect. Also getting the chance to play with the Sunshine Tour professionals is always such a welcome treat and getting paired with someone I had not played with before, is even better because one gets to know another professional and support them. My pro turned out to be the lovely and super talented Rupert kaminski winner of the 2023 SA PGA Championship.
Nkonyeni Golf Estate offers championship golf courses and 5 courses in total. Nestled on a 400-hectare private game reserve, the Estate is surrounded by mountains and a river running through it.
The Golden Eagle Course designed by Peter Matkovich & Louis Oosthuizen.
The Sunshine Course.
Links & Bush Course.
En Route 57 Course.
The Bushveld Course.
FNB Eswatini Challenge
The FNB Eswatini Challenge is played with an interesting and unique layout, with the front 9 played on the Links course and the back 9 played on the Bushveld course. My fourball started off on the Bushveld course, and let me tell you, you will want to keep it straight. Losing 3 balls on the 1st 2 holes, I was sure my day was done. It had been a while since I lost so many balls in a short space of time. The Bushveld Course is a challenging course that winds its way through the private game reserve and proves to be the ultimate challenge. Somehow, I was still in good spirits because WOW, this course was just beautiful. My game picked up,my fourball was kind enough to look past the first few holes. It turned out to be a decent game. I enjoyed both the Bush and the Links, and I have to say, what an interesting combination. I managed to win something, going home happy and making sure to come back. Spent the next couple of days watching the tournament and supporting the pros. This was without doubt, the ultimate bucket list course. FLAG COLLECTED!
FNB Eswatini Challenge Nkonyeni Golf Course
I managed to get another round in at this stunning course with some friends and the local Eswatini and Nkonyeni Pro Robert Shiba. Playing the same combination as the tournament with a slightly relaxed atmosphere, I was hoping for a better round of golf this time around. Still as tricky and challenging as before, it was great to have some sort of idea which way the course layout was going. The elements were slightly different. Summer was slowly making its appearance as the Sdvokodvo heat showed its hand. Even though it was early August, it got warm fairly quickly with our 9:30am tee time. The course was looking stunning.
Eswatini & Nkonyeni Pro Robert Shiba
By November, it was full blown summer, and the end of 2023 came with the most anticipated Golf and Giving event of the year. The Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational. Hosted at Sun City Resort at the Palace and Lost City Golf Course by nonother than Mr Gary Player himself with his long time supporters and sponsors, BMW and Rolex. This event is short of spectacular year after year.
The Sunshine Tour professionals joined by sports celebrities and business leaders gather in support of the Gary & Vivienne Player Invitational at The Lost City GolfCourse. The tour professionals play in a star-studded pro-am as part of the drive to raise funds for the Gary & Vivienne Player Foundation and its work supporting the Blair Atholl Pre-Primary School. This is the type of event where you find yourself playing a practice round with the likes of Kyle Barker and Willie Oliver just by chance of showing up on a tee box.
Kyle Barker, Willie Oliver
Friday evening after a relaxed practice round, guests make their way to the welcome dinner and draw event. This year it was held at the pool area at The Palace and as always, it was a beautifully put together. The event gave guests a chance to meet and greet each other and everyone taking part in this golf and giving weekend. The sight of Gary making an entrance with the African dancers was enough to set the tone for a fun filled weekend.
Round 1
Calum Boon
Paired up with the very charming, sweet, very tall and extremely talented professional Caylum Boon, DP Tours Mark Casey and Sadiq Dindar. I honestly could not have asked for the nicest fourball. We set out to try and conquer the wild Lost City Golf Course, a task we all know is near impossible. The North West heat was a little kinder to me this time around. If you read my blog about the GVPI 2022 event, you will know that I almost died from heatstroke because Sun City lived up to its name that weekend. So, I was happy to see clouds and a cool breeze this time. With just 2 holes to go, in typical NW fashion the thunderstorms came in, and we had rushed back for what turned out to be a 3 hour weather delay. The team wasn’t doing too badly. We were 12 on the leaderboard. That 3 hours transformed into an unexpected Q&A with the legend himself. He opened up the floor for questions from anyone in the clubhouse, and boy, was it a treat for both professionals and amateurs. Lots of knowledge imparted coupled with tons of laughter. We did manage to go back out and finish those two holes.
The Shebeen. An African Night.
The African themed Saturday night event is always something to look forward to. Everyone makes such an effort and shows up looking stunning in their interpretation of African wear. A time to mingle, talk about the days golf and dance our bad golf away. A performance by Doctor Victor and the Rasta Rebels was the perfect night out.
Shebeen
Round 2
Team Boon. Caylum Boon, Mark Casey, Sadiq Dindar
A beautiful day with blue skies, no sign of rain, and Caylum still moving to the tunes of the night before while belting out “If You Wanna be Happy” by Doctor Victor and The Rasta Rebels. 😂 We set out for a second chance of catching a few birds. The team was in high spirits, and everyone’s game seemed to have gotten an upgrade overnight. Unfortunately for us, it was too little too late. Especially with a field full of fantastic golfers who had brought their A game from the onset. Not even our Pro, who brought his A game, could save us. Personally, I played a much better game with 1 lost ball right at the end. We all felt we left so many putts hanging out there (golfers proverb) they just would not drop when they should have. Ended up 12th out 30 teams and feeling much better about our performance in Round 2 even though we didn’t move up the leaderboard. Overall, this has to be the most fulfilling weekend in charity golf, regardless of the golf outcome. It’s a win for me.
FLAG COLLECTED
The Gary & Vivienne Player Foundation raised R3 million for foundation and its beneficiary, The Blair Atholl school, which is situated in Lanseria near the Blair Atholl Golf and Equestrian Estate. The pre-primary school, which was opened by the Players in 1990, provides education to the children of local farmworkers and has now grown to educate 125 children between the ages of three and six. For over 30 years, the school has been providing education, nutrition, and medical care to underprivileged children living in the Lanseria area of Johannesburg. It is an honour and privilege to be a part of this event
I finished the year off with the Royal Johannesburg ladies fun Over 70’s vs Under 70’s competition with the under 70’s just making it against some tough competitors. As always, this bunch has to be the best group of members I’ve ever been a part of. WEST Course was looking beautiful.
My 2022 golf season ended on one of the highest highs and then a plummet to the lowest low immediately after. My high being the insane privilege to play with a living legend and the experience of playing in the Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational with the host himself Gary Player. Honestly, I’m not about to stop bragging about that anytime soon. So bear with me. My plummet came in the form of nearly dying from heatstroke and other health complications right after and needing to spend a month and a bit in recovery mode. My Christmas and holiday golf plans down the drain.
Getting back to health was now the priority and so I retreated to a forest and a farm that are both filled with love, lazy days, and thoughts of golf and introspection. I wondered if my recent health scare would have an impact on my ability to play as much golf as I wanted or planned to, if any at all. A scary thought….but I am happy to say, by the time February came, I was healthy and ready to get back out there. The invitation to play the Dimension Data Pro-Am at Fancourt George could not have come at a better time. What a classy way to make a comeback.
DIMENSION DATA Ladies Pro-Am
The DiData Pro-am is every Amateurs’ dream tournament and this would be a dream come true for me. A bucket list moment. It is such a special event because it pairs up an amateur with a pro for the whole tournament and the competition is not just meaningful for the pro but for the amateurs as well. There are two competitions that happen simultaneously at the DiData. 54 hole stroke play (professionals only). Professionals compete against each other for a professional prize fund, the winner being determined by the lowest number of strokes over the tree day tournament. 54 hole Betterball Medal (professionals partnering amateurs) Amateurs are teamed up with a professional partner and together they compete for the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am trophy and an additional professional prize fund. Players compete using the Betterball Medal scoring system, in which the lowest stroke of either the professional or amateurs is recorded for each hole. The amateurs handicaps are taken into account.
Dimension Data coupled with Fancourt and their incredible sponsors, make this event the most sort after affair and thee event to remember for the amateurs and their guests from start to finish. The special welcome starts at the airport and filters through to the rest of the event. This part of the country being in my Top 5 places in South Africa to visit and Fancourt being the number one golf destination in the country, I was so happy to be back at Fancourt after such a long time. On my last visit I did not get to play Montagu and I was beyond estatic knowing I was going to get to play it this time around. The welcome dinner was something to look forward to because that’s where we would find out which pro we would be paired with for the weekend and it was an honour to be up on stage assisting with the announcement of pairings. Hosted by the eloquent and hilariously funny Dan Nicoll, it was bound to be entertaining. I was paired up with the wonderful Monique Smit who was the winner of the Inaugural DiData in 2014. As a long time fan of hers and not having played with her before, I was looking forward to our pairing.
DAY 1. MONTAGU
Slightly nervous because I had not touched a club in 2 and a half months and my first time at Montagu, I made my way to the first tee to meet the rest of my fourball. Everyone was really lovely from the get go and it turned out to be a beautiful day on an equally beautiful course. My golf of course was nowhere near beautiful but boy did I have fun while playing badly. Who would have thought one would enjoy a bad day on the course. My driver was spot on and I managed to impress my fourball with my drives but the short game was non-existent and so the day went as it did. No one ever shot a decent score just by driving….for show. I spent most of the day taking it all in…. I was out walking a golf course after my health scare, the scenery and beauty of Montagu, the absolute magic of the pros every shot and the overall magnificent way in which the tournament was organised. Coming back from a hip injury and operation, it was a tough day for my pro too. Which led to her having to pull out of the competition at the end of our round. Which in turn meant I was also out of the overall competition too. Sad to not carry on with the competition but happy she made the call to put her health first and take care of herself. I managed to have a quick chat with her to find out what her plans were after that. I wish her all the best and a full recovery and hope to catch her on the fairways soon. https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cokm7CMMRq_/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Monique Smit, Clara Pietri
DAY 2. OUTENIQUA
Out of the overall competition because my pro had to pull out, I was paired up with another pro who had been on reserve and unfortunately had not made it in to play. She came in on the second day just so i could go out there and have someone to play with for fun and complete the fourball. So, with both of our scores not counting for the competition, we went out there and played some no-pressure-stress-free golf. My driver was working, the short game came to the party and I carded one of my best scores in a while. It was all alright because golf was on our side again plus I truly had the best Caddy I have ever had. What a professional who knew the course like the back of his hand. Quickly figured out my game and my distances and was just spot on every time, an overall nice guy. Happy to share his details if you ever visit Fancourt.
Best caddy ever.
I played in a fourball with two recently turned pros and when i say recently, i mean January 2023. my pro, the 20-year-old from Sweden, Elana Moosman, and 18-year-old Gabrielle Venter from Bloemfontein. These girls were just amazing out on that course and I wish them all the best for their careers and the rest of the 2023 season. I have no doubt they are going to be incredible professionals. Gabrielle and her amateur partner made the cut after she had a fantastic eagle on hole 17, It was just spectacular to witness first hand and she ended up 3rd for the overall tournament. Quteniqua was as beautiful as the first time i played it. The Quteniqua mountains as a backdrop, the scenery from every part of the course was breathtaking.
The whole Fancourt Dimension Data experience is incredibly organised and well put together. A brilliant way to get to know your professional golfer and create a bond and solid fan and support for our professional players. Together with Standard Bank, Dimension Data have committed to creating a more equal playing field and for the first time the Ladies pro-am took place on the Fancourt golf courses and saw a significant increase prize money. From 2024 the tournament will become a Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned event. There is nothing that makes me happier in sport than to see the elevation of women in sport, especially golf.
Flag Collected.
Gabrielle Venter Pro, Elena Moosmann Pro
I was incredibly happy and privileged to share this experience through the Partner programme with my daughter and grand kids, who had the most wonderful time on their first experience of Fancourt. Until next time…
Tucked away in the picturesque Garden Route lies the breathtaking Fancourt Estate, a golfer’s paradise, that plays host to the much sort out NTT DATA Pro-Am golf weekend. This event and destination exceeds all expectations, offering an unforgettable experience that’s combined with world-class golf, delectable cuisine, and warm hospitality.
THURSDAY. Ladies Pro-Am. A VIP welcome.
Welcome to NTT DATA The weekend kicked off with a warm welcome dinner on Thursday evening, where we had the chance to meet fellow golfers and find out our parings with the fourballs draw announcement, which I am always happy to be a part of with a few of my fellow amatuers. It is also a glimpse of the excitement that lay ahead.
DAY 1 FRIDAY. Montagu
Friday morning saw us tee off on the magnificent Montagu golf course, one of Fancourt’s three stunning layouts. The challenging round saw me and my Pro Bennita Bredenhann struggle at the bottom of the leaderboard. It truly was a tough day at the office for my pro and I. We still had another day to try and recover. So, incredibly exhausted from too much golf, we ended the day bruised emotionally and physically. Montagu holds no prisoners while still showing off with its beauty.
The day was followed by a unique and delicious street food market dinner, featuring an array of flavors and cuisines. A night filled with some of the best entertainment and catching up with friends and golf buddies.
DAY 2 Saturday. Outeniqua.
Day two took us to the beautiful Outeniqua golf course, where we were treated to another round of spectacular golf amidst breathtaking scenery. This, of course, did not help with the recovery from the day befores diabolic round. At some point, we thought we were going to come back, but the wheels were tough to put back on. I decided to truly just enjoy my surroundings and not worry too much about the competition part, which led to a much better game and score. We had completely missed the cut this year, and there was no recovery. Outiniqua is a feast of pristine fairways and mountain backdrops. No matter how bad your golf is, it’s always a good day to be out on the course.
The evening was filled with glamour and excitement, as we dressed up for a formal dinner and night of entertainment that was fun to share with my always Plus one, my lovely daughter Maxine.
Sunday: Final Round
The final round at Fancourt saw the cut makers return to the stunning Montagu for another testing round of golf. I managed to catch some of the golf as a spectator, and it was good to see some faves at the top of the leaderboard. As we wrapped up our weekend, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the incredible experience and memories that I get to share with my kids and grandkids in this golfing paradise.
Fancourt, you steal my heart every time! We can’t wait to return and experience the magic once again.
NTT DATA, thank you for the love, making me a part of your family for the 2025 Pro-Am.
I’m taking stock of my 2024 Golf Year. I didn’t play as much golf as I would have loved to, but every single game I played was incredibly special. I loved that I added some new flags to the flag collection… Pinnacle Point GolfEstate, George Golf Club, Kingswood Golf Estate, and Mananga Country Club. Then, there were the usual faves along the way.
I am definitely looking forward to new flags in 2025.
Here’s to more golf, new flags and golf destinations, birdies, eagles, and the elusive hole-in-one. To meaningful golf and special connections made, golfing for great causes and creating more awareness to a sport that has brought me so much joy.
THE 2025 GOLF YEAR is now open for This Girl’s GolfDiary. 🥂⛳️🏌🏾♀️
The Gary and Vivienne Player Foundation hosted an unforgettable 3-day golf event, bringing together golf enthusiasts, philanthropists, sporting legends, family and friends for a weekend of camaraderie, competition, and fundraising. It is no secret that this is definitely my favourite golf event on the calendar for all kinds of reasons. The biggest reason, of course, being the initiative behind it. The Blair Atholl Pre-Primary School.
Hosted by the legend himself, Mr Gary Player, The Gary and Vivienne Player Foundation and The Palace at Sun City Resort, this years tournament, years since inception was being held at the MAJESTIC Gary Player Country Club and not the usual Lost City Golf Course.
FRIDAY
Guests arrived in style, driven by BMW, a long time sponsor for the GVPI.
The Palace at Lost City
Practice Round
You can imagine the excitement combined with the fear from the amateurs taking part in this years GPVI. Most of us have never attempted to play this monster for 2 or 3 days in a row. A practice round was a lovely idea, maybe a little too ambitious on this course because after day 2, one could feel the Amatuer status. I say it all the time how I have enormous respect for what the pros do, more so when I try to do what they do.
I arrived early enough to grab a quick lunch at the clubhouse and go out for 9 holes practice round. I spotted someone checking out my golf bag right before my round. Yes, yes, I have a good-looking bag thanks to The Proshop for the wonderful job on my embroided TGGD logo. That someone turned out to be Eric Sharpe, a friend of the GVP Foundation.
Eric Sharpe. Gary Player Country Club
Who soon became my practice partner and now a friend. We quickly introduced ourselves and headed out for the front 9 practice. With the preparations for the coming up Nedbank Golf Challenge in a couple of weeks, the 9’s have been swapped around, and so, in playing the front 9, we were actually playing the back 9. It truly made no difference because the course was just looking spectacular, and there was no favourite 9. We enjoyed a relaxed practice round of golf amidst breathtaking scenery.
Gary Player Country Club
Welcome dinner & Draw.
The welcome cocktail dinner was held at the stunning Palace poolside under the lights. The evening was a chance to mingle, find out the playing draw, and get to know fellow participants. I found my Pro and introduced myself. It is also a wonderful time to see familiar faces that one only gets to see once a year.
With luck on my side, I got to grace the dance floor with the Knight himself. Pinch me!! What a special moment that I will cherish forever. Gary’s speech is always a touching moment that gets us all teary-eyed.
The Knight and I. Gary Player
Saturday
Round 1
Casper Nieuwoudt, Vinochand Harry, Ruan Korb
My fourball made up of Pro Ruan Korb, Vinochand Harry, and Casper Nieuwoudt looked sharp and ready to roll. Round 1 saw intense competition on the course, with the beautiful Gary Player Country Club looking immaculate. My fourball turned out to be a fun relaxed bunch and I could not have been happier. We finished the day tied 12th. Our pro Ruan was out throwing darts all day. It was a marvel to watch.
The Shebeen
The evening’s festivities took center stage at The Shebeen, where Dr. Victor and the Rasta Rebels got the party started. Our gracious host, Gary Player, even took the stage to serenade us with his legendary singing voice! It’s always a party where Dr Victor is involved. I can confess, I danced a little too much as usual. We had our faces painted by a local artist and danced the night away.
Sunday
Sunday’s 2nd and final round, the exhaustion had kicked in for most, me included. Shebeen night showed up in the golf game. Still, it was an incredible day out, and I was grateful for the really early tee off time. My Pro Ruan almost aceing hole 16 was the highlight of the day.
Flag Collected!!!
Teams were battling it out amidst threatening weather. Fortunately, most teams finished before the heavy rain rolled in. My team managed the same score on day two and saw us finish tied for 13th place. The winning team of father and son duo Daniel Egdes Darryl Edges, Mark Williams, and Pro Martin Rohwer prevailed with a score of -42.
Congratulations to the winning team!
Winners!!!
It was an incredible weekend of golf, friendship, and fun. Thank you, Gary and Vivienne Player Foundation, and team for what you do every year. The course was stunning, and the hospitality unmatched.
Mark your calendars for next year because our lendary host, Gary Player, turns 90 years old. What a legacy!!!
Thank you Gary.
We are proud to support the Gary and Vivienne Player Foundation’s mission to make a difference through golf. Just this weekend alone, raising R2.5 million for the Blair Atholl Pre-Primary School.
Support the Gary and Vivienne Player Foundation. For donations and sponsorship opportunities, please see the link below:
I get asked a lot about why I started golf, my blog and Flag Collecting. I’ve written about why I started in my first blog post (scroll down). I also get a few emails with people wanting to know how they can start playing or get into golf media. With both, I tell them to find the right people or direct them to assist.
The Links FANCOURT
My Flag Collector selfies started off as a fun thing to do after every game. I wish I had started much sooner because of the flags I never took pictures of, and I’m not sure I will get the chance to play those courses again. It was also my way of creating a fun golf awareness to women about the sport. It then evolved to me taking pictures with my fourballs or whoever I was playing, with as long as they were cool with it. I didn’t even get to put in half of the flags collected on this reel.
I get asked, too, who would make my perfect fourball. Firstly, me and my kids. Secondly, me, Gary Player, Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstum. That would be a fourball. Tiger is still a dream, I’ve had the privilege of meeting Annika, sitting down and chatting with her and watching her play, thanks to Gary Player But, you all know The BEST and most impressive flag selfie is with the legend himself Mr Gary Player because I brag about it any chance I get. Honestly, who wouldn’t. Look, if you can get a fourball selfie with Gary, I’d say you done good. It’s definitely the most valuable Flag Collected in my collection. ⛳️
The 2024 DiData ProAm came just 4 days after my 6 day whirlwind trip to George with the ladies. I managed to rest for just 3 days before I was back on that flight to George. Still exhausted, sunburned, and blistered, I made my way to the airport on that Thursday morning with the excitement of someone who was doing this trip for the first time. It was the DiData, of course I was beside myself to be taking part again this year.
FANCOURT
Arriving back in George in less than a week of leaving, felt like I was returning home of some sorts. The airport was busy with Amatuers arriving for the 4 day event that every Amatuer is always happy to be a part of.
Fancourt is one of those places where you know you will receive the friendliest welcome and top-notch service every single time. Coupled with the DiData event staff, this whole experience is short of spectacular. Registration and check-in were seamless, and I arrived in my room, to find the beautiful golf shirts and goodies from Pringle and a bottle of wine from Boschendal, just a couple of the sponsors of the event. We are definitely styling and getting tipsy.
Sponsors: Pringle Boschedal
THE SUNSHINE LADIES TOUR
The Sunshine Ladies Tour is in its 11th season and keeps growing with each season. It is the home of about 100 professional players, including international players from around the world. It consists of 8 tournaments, played between February and April. With some tournaments co-sanctioned with the European Ladies Tour and DiData with the Sunshine Tour. The ladies Tour has seen a significant raise in prize money over the years and tournaments like the DiData showing their commitment in levelling the playing field, by significantly raising the price money from R600 000 to R2.5 million. Now that is growth.
LADIES PRO-AM DRAW
The ladies’ ProAm draw and welcome evening is a wonderful and fun night. We get to see the rest of the amateurs and catch up with old golf buddies, meet new ones, and ultimately find out which pro you’re paired with for the weekend. Being one of the Amatuers that gets to announce the draw is another awesome privilege. My pro this year was Lauren Taylor from England. I was excited because I had never met her before. One of my very favourite things is meeting new pros and watching them do what us amateurs sometimes find impossible, look so easy.
It’s a great night of delicious food, great wine, conversation, and entertainment. The trick, of course, is to know your limits and be mindful of the fact that the competition starts the next day and not get carried away.
Kgomotso Ndungane Ladies Pro-Am Draw
THE DIMENSION DATA PRO-AM
“For the past 29 years, the Pro-Am has successfully brought together Dimension Data’s top business partners and the finest of South Africa and Europe’s professional golfing talent.
We invite 156 amateur men and 44 amateur women players to play golf like a professional with some of the best pro golfers in South Africa and Europe. This will be our second year of showing our commitment to leveling the playing field as we continue through our partnership with Standard Bank to make a positive impact on women’s golf.”
MONTAGU
DAY 1
We woke up to a gloomy and chilly George. The opposite of the beautiful weather I had experienced the week before. A quick breakfast and coffee for good luck and a sense of humor, I headed to the 1st tee. It looked threatening out there, and let me tell you, I and a whole lot of others were not prepared for the conditions that followed.
It was pouring with rain when we teed off. By hole numer 3, the wind had picked up, and I am not even exaggerating when I tell you I was literally being blown away… a whole me. A few times, we had to wait for the heavy rain and gusts of wind to subside before hitting a shot. We were soaked and frozen. Trying to adjust ones game to those conditions as an amateur proved to be almost impossible. My pro, Lauren Taylor, seemed to be doing OK, even under those conditions. She played such an impressive game, and I managed to assist on 1 or 2 holes. 😅 I was finished, battered, and so was my game. Maybe a little exaggeration here, but that’s how I felt at the end of the day. The course was unbothered and still incredibly beautiful, nonetheless. Lauren and I finished the day 5th on the leaderboard. Ok, so it was not that bad.
OUTINNIQUA
DAY 2
Moving day and the weather turned out to be what we all hoped for. A gorgeous clear day with the Outeniqua Mountains in full view. Outeniqua was definitely the course to play on such a gorgeous day. Today was mixed pairs, and I was playing in the same fourball with two good friends, Pro Musiwalo Nethunzi and his amateur Thabiso Hermanus. I’ve played with these two numerous times before, and I was looking forward to the level of comfort and a slightly less pressured game than the day before. The weather and golf gods were on my side.
Golf and Day 2 were what most days should feel like on the course. I played a decent game and managed to actually assist my pro on more than just a couple of holes. Somehow, I always manage to play better at Outeniqua. I do not necessarily think it is a lot easier than Montagu, but it sure is less tricky, even on the mind. We managed to stay in the top 10 and made the cut. To think last year, my tournament ended after the first day, with my pro pulling out because of an injury. It has been YEARS since I got a text informing me I’d made the cut… This was such exciting news.
Saturday evening is everyone’s favourite night. It is party night with the best entertainment put together by our host. The talented artists that come out are world-class. It’s a night where most are carefree and can enjoy the evening without worrying about playing the next day. For the amateurs, only 10 ladies make it through for the team competition. Two days of intense golf and unpredictable weather, I was definitely feeling the exhaustion. I cut my evening short and left a raging party in an attempt to get the most rest I could possibly get.
MONTAGU
Final Day
I woke up unnecessary early to my body, almost shutting down from tight muscles and sore feet that ached when they touched the ground. Even with wearing my most comfortable golf shoes, I could not run away from the soles of my feet feeling like I had run a marathon. Taking heed of my son Cades’ recommendation, I managed to do 15 minutes of necessary stretching. It really helped.
Montagu
Back at Montagu again and it was a beautiful day this time. Maybe a little too beautiful because it got pretty warm out there. We were paired with the legendary Lee-Anne Pace, and I was estatic because I had never played with her. I have followed her and watched her play several times on the Sunshine Ladies Tour events, and she is definitely one of my favourite golfers in the world. Honestly, this was a dream come true. I might not have been paired with her as a partner, but this was worth it.
Lee-Anne is cool, calm and just incredible. The absolute ease in how she goes about the golf course is truly mesmerizing. It is effortless. She was kind enough to give me a few tips here and there and really encouraging. That, to me,was the highlight of my day, possibly the tournament.
I got incredibly tired towards the end there and didn’t play the best golf on the day. Unfortunately, both my pro and I stumbled on the day and dropped from 5th position to 9th. Still, out of 44 teams overall, I’d say we did more than ok. I did, however, win the MSC CRUISE Beat your Pro competition on hole 17, par 3 with my nearest to the pin. So, a great tournament in the end.
Congratularions to Pro Ana Dawson and amateur Theresa Schindehutte. Thank you, DiData and Fancourt, for a special weekend.
This Girl's Golf Diary 