Mahoney always up for the challenge

SAGDB coach Isaac Mahoney with a young learner in his back yard

It is nearly a decade since Isaac Mahoney joined the South African Golf Development Board (SAGDB) - first as an assistant coach and later as the head coach for the Boland region - and he has lost none of his commitment and passion for the game.

"There's something that continues to drive a coach, each year, to make the sacrifices that running a development programme requires," says Mahoney. "The key is finding balance. A coach teaches much more than just the mechanics of the golf swing. They also play a crucial role in the development of the lives of the golfers they coach."

Through the years, the 54-year-old Paarl resident has touched the lives of hundreds of children. Some have gone off to the professional circuit, some have excelled at amateur level and others have found employment in the golf industry.

Mahoney says his love for the game stems from his childhood years, when he grew up next to Worcester Golf Club.

"The kids in our neighbourhood actually had one of the first golf estates in the country," he jokes. "We fashioned clubs from wire and used eucalyptus bulbs that we sanded nice and round for balls. Then we played our way through the neighbourhood's gardens."

As a teenager, Mahoney caddied at Worcester Golf Club and later joined the Riverside Club. Nearly 35 years ago, he moved to the Boland and joined the Bergriver Club in Wellington.

But Mahoney moved his own golf to the background when his sons began showing an interest.

"It was hard to concentrate on my own game when Mark and Trevor played. I realised that I was a good player, but I was a better coach."

Mahoney extended his coaching skills to friends and neighbours, especially children, and soon found his real calling in life. His wife, Rugaya, made peace with the fact that her garden was re-landscaped to accommodate a putting green, chipping green and bunker where Mahoney's "pupils" can practice putts up to 10 meters and chip shots up to 50 meters around the house.

Mahoney was originally appointed to the SAGDB Boland region to assist head coach, Edgar Adriaanse. They were tasked with the development of golf at primary school level. Over the years his pupils have matured and these days the development programme services both primary and high school learners.

"I do have my own way of doing things," says Mahoney about his sometimes unorthodox coaching methods. "I believe in logic, cause and consequence. There is not just one guideline for all golfers, every one is unique. For each golfer, there is a special formula."

As head coach, he and his assistant coaches are discovering and harnessing the talent, sometimes under difficult circumstances.

"There is a lot of talent among the girls and some of the Boland ladies have shown us amazing support by incorporating our learners in their programmes. This assists us greatly with equipment, entry fees and transport," says Mahoney, who is especially proud of the girls in the development programme.

"But the lack of municipal courses, which would make playing golf more affordable, remains a concern and we need more clubs to incorporate our learners in their development programmes."

Over the years, the soft spoken man from Paarl has frequently been acknowledged for his philanthropic work in golf development, including Coach of the Year by the SAGDB in 2003. One of the highlights in Mahoney's career was receiving an award from Sanlam and Compleat Golfer in 2004 for his contribution to golf in South Africa.

"It was quite unreal to take the stage among some of the biggest names in golf," he said. "But I'm just a regular guy who loves giving back to the game I love. The biggest reward still comes from coaching the children and making a difference in their lives."

Mahoney also remains the driving force behind Mark and Trevor's achievements on the golf course.

Both players have earned national colours and one of Mahoney's proudest moments was when both his sons represented Boland at the 2009 SA Interprovincial, the first time two brothers of colour made the provincial side.

While Mark, a detective in the South African Police Service, continues to excel on the amateur circuit, Trevor qualified for the Sunshine Tour and will try his hand in the paid ranks this season.