Humewood GC and Damelin team up in support of the SAGDB

Through its structured coaching programmes around the country, the SA Golf Development Board is making significant progress in its aims to introduce more young players to the game of golf. However, the SAGDB’s philosophy is to provide more than just tips on how to swing a golf club. The board aims to use the sport to teach valuable life lessons and facilitate opportunities for players’ future development both on the course and off it.

In support of this goal, Humewood Golf Club and Damelin College Port Elizabeth have lent their weight to the SA Golf Development Board’s (SAGDB) programme in the PE area. Through a first-of-its-kind initiative, the two organisations will be providing two current SAGDB players with bursaries to study the PGA approved Diploma in Golf Directorship and Club Management at Damelin from 2008.

The significant contribution has been warmly received by the SAGDB as the bursaries will provide continued support to youngsters who would otherwise move out of the coaching programme after school. Successfully completing the diplomas will also open up opportunities for the learners to enter a career in golf, working at a club or driving range.  

The SAGDB’s development manager for Eastern Province, John Bailey, says that the successful candidates will be chosen on both golfing and academic ability.

“The desired effect would be that players not only have to perform on the course, but also have to work hard at school to be chosen,” he says.

The support from Damelin forms part of a larger intitiave through which the college is awarding five bursaries to school-leavers from previously disadvantaged communities. General Manager at Damelin PE, Ian Timm, says that the aim is to give youngsters who would otherwise not have been able to access a tertiary education at a private college the opportunity to further their studies.

“We want to award the bursaries to a people who have the potential to achieve in their chosen field, but do not have the financial resources to achieve their goals,” he says. “We felt that if who chose someone from the SAGDB then we would be opening up a career that would normally only be open to people with large financial resources.”

Timm adds that the golf professional allocated to Damelin, Wayne Berry, has already expresses his support for the bursary programme and will give thorough assistance to the bursary recipients.

Humewood Golf Club will be playing a dual role in the initiative, as it will be sponsoring one of the bursaries while also providing club memberships to both players. The club’s record in supporting golf development is already strong, and this further adds to its reputation as a key role player in growing the sport in the Eastern Cape.

“Humewood Golf Club has become seriously committed to development and this is just another way for us to change somebody’s life,” explains Humewood Club Manager, Hugo Maritz. “We believe education is more important than golfing ability, hence our decision to join this initiative.”

Martiz adds that the club members have also been very supportive of the idea.

“The management board, which represents club members, has embraced the development programme,” he says. “We therefore have the support of the members and we are also rallying some corporate companies to get involved.”

The SAGDB believes that the support from Damelin and Humewood will make an enormous contribution to its programme, both as a motivating factor and a means to provide opportunities to deserving young players.

All the parties involved in the bursary programme will work together to select deserving candidates. The bursary recipients will be named later this year.