NTT DATA PRO-AM by Standard Bank 2026

A Return to the Fairways: NTT DATA Pro-Am 2026 Sponsored by Standard Bank at Fancourt

After much anticipation, It was finally time to return to the NTT DATA Pro-Am powered by Standard Bank, held from 12–15 February at the breathtaking Fancourt. This annual event is always a highlight on my calendar, not just for the golf, but for the friendships, the atmosphere, and the unforgettable moments it creates year after year.

“The NTT DATA Pro-Am sponsored by Standard Bank has always been about more than sport. It’s a chance to give back to our community, support the next generation, and
demonstrate the impact we can make when we partner with purpose.”

Hello rainy George.

Hospitality at It’s finest
From the moment we arrived, the hosts delivered their impeccable hospitality as expected. There’s something truly special about the way this event is run. Every detail feels intentional, every guest valued. It sets the tone for what is always a world-class experience.

Thursday.

The Ladies Arrive.
Thursday marked the arrival of the ladies, along with the much anticipated draw and welcome dinner. It felt like a mini reunion, reconnecting with women I see only once a year, yet picking up conversations as though no time had passed. It was a relaxed, casual evening filled with shared excitement for what lay ahead.
Then came the surprise draw announcement…the ladies would be playing The Links. Shock. Horror. Excitement. In that order.

For the first time in the tournaments history, the Sunshine Ladies Tour professionals and amateurs would compete on The Links at Fancourt, one of the most revered and challenging courses in the Southern Hemisphere. A daunting prospect, especially given the weather forecast.
This was due to the men’s first round that was delayed multiple times and ultimately cancelled, forcing a reshuffle of the Sunshine Tour schedule.

The ladies had the night and a practice round the next day to prepare ourselves for the privilege and pressure of tackling The Links under tournament conditions.

Friday.

Practice Under Pressure

Friday’s practice round gave us our first real test. The course was still wet and heavy, but majestic as ever. Even in easier conditions, The Links demands respect. I had played it years ago, and while I had faint recollections of certain holes and layouts, it proved that memory offered little advantage on a course of this calibre. I played a really decent practice with my driver working well. The slowness of the greens did leave a few putts hanging.

Friday Night.

Dinner and entertainment were lively. The talk around the tables revolved around the ladies first impressions of The Links. Awe from some, nerves from others, and even a little envy from a few of the male amateurs who wished they were in our shoes. The evening’s entertainment was nothing short of spectacular. Showcasing some of our homegrown talents.

Saturday.

Rain delays and 18 at The Links.

Saturday’s first round was delayed for several hours due to overnight rainfall. The already demanding course became even more unforgiving. Soggy fairways and unpredictable lies. It played heavy and long. Getting distance on that tee shot and finding the fairway were the only options really. Unfortunately for me,
my driver, which had behaved beautifully during the practice round, decided to abandon me entirely on the day. After 3 diabolically bad tee shots with the driver, I switched to my trusted 4 iron but my game just never took off and it became a really long day.

I was paired with 23-year-old Chiara Horder, newly turned professional from Munich and making her first appearance on the Sunshine Ladies Tour and at the NTT DATA Pro-Am. Calm, focused, and incredibly patient, even though struggling with the very wet course, she handled the conditions with admirable composure. Together, we finished the day at +3 a solid result given the circumstances.

Saturday Night

Black Tie Evening.

That evening’s black-tie event was a room filled with elegantly dressed golfers showing no sign of how tough the day might have been on the course. Some celebrating Valentine’s Day with their loved ones and partners, reminded us that this tournament is about more than competition. Its inclusive nature and outstanding partner programme make it a truly special occasion on the golfing calendar.

Final Day.

A lot of sun and a little wind.

Sunshine and Survival.
Sunday brought something we had been longing for, sunshine. The course began to dry slightly, and spirits lifted instantly. It was, without question, a better day for me on the course. I had packed the driver away the day before and it never saw the light on the 2nd day. I played my 4 iron off the tee from start to finish, which i have no issues with because I cqn drive it same distance as most ladies drives if not longer. Definitely more accurate than the driver thay tends to find the rough, as long as it is. Playing the rough at The Links is not recommended. I was playing percentage golf. Starting with a fierce birdy on the 2nd hole, it was bound to be a better day. A few pars, near birdie misses and after three days on one of the most challenging courses, fatigue finally set in. I started to feel it in every swing. By around hole 14, the wheels began to wobble a little. Thankfully, a couple of birdies and pars made up for the struggle on this final day. Overall, this by far has been the most fulfilling 3 days of golf, regardless of the outcome.

Playing The Links 3 days in a row is not something I would casually recommend. It is relentless, demanding, and humbling. But I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to experience it in tournament conditions. And yes, that whiskey shot on the first tee is absolutely necessary and should have been available.

Fairway selfies.

We finished the tournament at +2 and my pro tied for 23rd. I hope Chiara wasn’t too disappointed with her final outcome. She has immense potential, and I have no doubt she will make her mark this season. I will certainly be rooting for her every step of the way.

Congratulations to the winners on an incredible performance under exceptionally tough conditions. And heartfelt thanks to our wonderful hosts NTT DATA, Standard Bank and FANCOURT for yet another unforgettable event.

📸: Tyrone Winfield – Grant Lavesha Photography

Catch you on fairways.

A Royal Family

Featured

Royal Johannesburg

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…

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.

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.

One of these days I will get this team in one fourball. Every golfing parents dream. Now, wouldn’t that be something.

Catch you on the fairways.

Felicity Shiba

The Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational 2024.

A Weekend of Golf, Giving, Glamour, and Fun.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!!!

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:

https://blairathollschool.co.za/

Catch you on the fairways

Felicity Shiba