Golf Event

THE STANDARD BANK PRO-AM SERIES: Cotswold Downs estate

Tandi does it again – 3 times winner in 2022 and Order of Merit winner 2022 South African female professional Tandi McCallum makes her win a memorable display of great golf after what was not her best start on day 1.Not making the top 10 after day 1 and what was unpleasant weather conditions on the tee box goes to show what experience and determination can produce. Shooting even par, Isabella van Rooyen was leading after a challenging day 1 with a tight top ten on the leaderboard with Durban’s local pro, Brittney-Fay Berger lying tied second with Kelsey Nicholas all at +2. The course greens were fast and pin positions carefully placed to make this remarkable course a challenge for the even well experienced players testing their driving skills, with cleverly placed bunkers and water hazards adding to the challenge. After day1 it was Larissa du Preez then positioned tied 6th with Kaylen Boshoff, Kim de Klerk and previous winner Nadia van der Westhuizen chasing the leaders. After a remarkable second shot from McCallum that left her putting for eagle deciding to go big and not lay up as du Preez did. NO EASY VICTORY The leaderboard fluctuated hole by hole and as quoted by Tandi, at hole 16 she stopped looking at the live scoring. Hers was no easy victory because van Rooyen and Nicholas were chasing hard and not giving room to breathe in the final round. She was just hoping and happy if she was going to end up in the top 8. It has been a city of two tales here Said McCallum after her win, ”because yesterday’s golf course was a bit more scorable and I did not capitalize on it and I chalked up lots of bogeys and no birdies, and at the end of the day i ended up outside of the top 10. Today I just had to try and shoot the best round I could, knowing that the course was going to be more difficult, overnight rain, more rain forecasted and I just had to try and shoot as close as I could to level par because the course is challenging. And I did that shooting one over par. The leaderboard kept rotating on the back nine on the 16th hole. I decided I was not going to look anymore. A Great Way to Start the Season I was going to try to finish as strong as I could and get into the clubhouse and see. As I saw the girls were just dropping scores. Getting into the playoff was very unexpected. I am ecstatic that I won the opening event. It’s a great way to start the season. I look forward to the rest. Next month is the Royal Cape Golf Course and I love it. Can’t wait to play it.” The tournament carried a purse of R600 000, The next tournament in the series will be held at Royal Cape in the Western Cape from 13 – 15th June, as the series establishes a national footprint. The Eastern Cape, Gauteng and the North West are the other three provinces that will be visited this season in what is a clear ambition to grow the series. Founded by Lifestyle Golf in partnership with the Women’s Professional Golf Association of South Africa, the series promotes women’s golf in the country while developing talent for a future in the game of golf.

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THE STANDARD BANK PRO-AM SERIES: ROYAL CAPE GOLF CLUB

Cape Town’s Isabella van Rooyen overcomes challenging weather to secure victory in the second #StandardBankProAmSeries event of 2023 held at Royal Cape Golf Club In the face of extreme weather conditions, Isabella, the determined golfer from Cape Town who only turned pro in 2022, emerged victorious in the second event of the 2023 Standard Bank Pro-am Series. Battling against one of Cape Town’s wettest winter days, marked by flooding and bone-chilling cold, van Rooyen showcased her exceptional skills and hunger for another win. With the tournament taking place on June 14 & 15th, all eyes were on the course as players teed off amidst the challenging weather. Tandi McCallum, who had recently claimed her fourth win at Cotswold Downs Estate, and Bredenhann, who was fiercely vying for her second win in the Standard Bank Pro-am Series, posed formidable competition for van Rooyen. UNWAVERING DETERMINATION & FOCUS However, it was her unwavering determination and focus that set her apart on the day. Asking van Rooyen what her strategy was, “knowing the course really well and to make as little mistakes as possible” she also had the following to say, “ I prefer coastal courses because I grew up here in the Cape and I know how to play in the wind and the rain. I also practice in this kind of weather and I wasn’t too worried about the weather.” As the event progressed, the weather conditions proved to be an additional obstacle for the players. The course at the oldest golf club in the country, Royal Cape, was drenched from the relentless rain, flooding some fairways whilst the manicured greens withstood the onslaught.The extreme cold only added to the already demanding situation, testing the mental and physical resilience of the golfers. Despite the adverse conditions, Isabella van Rooyen demonstrated her exceptional prowess and strategic play, making calculated shots and showcasing her versatility. As the round progressed, van Rooyen steadily climbed up the leaderboard, consistently displaying her hunger for victory.Tandi McCallum, with her recent winning streak, was expected to maintain her top form and dominate the tournament. Bredenhann, equally determined to secure a win, fiercely competed with her fellow golfers. AN INTENSE BATTLE… The battle for the top spot was intense, with each player striving to outperform the others amidst the inclement weather. In the final stages of the second round, it was Isabella van Rooyen who demonstrated unwavering resilience and unyielding focus. Her strategic shot-making and mental fortitude ultimately propelled her to victory. With every swing, van Rooyen showcased her hunger for success, leaving no room for doubt about her determination to secure the win. Asking van Rooyen how she planned to build onto her next event, “ I will take it one tournament at a time and play as well as I possibly can on the day.” BACK TO BACK REMARKABLE VICTORIES The 2023 Standard Bank Pro-am Series at Royal Cape will be remembered not only for the challenging weather conditions but also for Isabella van Rooyens’s remarkable victory, her second in the Series. The tournament carries a purse of R600 000. The next tournament in the series will be held at Bryanston in the Gauteng from 4-6th July, as the series establishes a national footprint, KZN, Western Cape, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga are the other provinces that will be visited this season in what is a clear ambition to grow the series. Founded by Lifestyle Golf in partnership with the Women’s Professional Golf Association of South Africa The series promotes women’s golf in the country while developing talent for a future in the game of golf.

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THE LADIES SECTION AT SEDGELINKS

Even though Sedge Links is a “short course” club we are very proud to be part of it and don’t be fooled, many people come to the Links thinking it will be an easy game, and by the time they reach the 18th hole are quick to admit it has a lot of challenges. It is a huge test of your short game and temperament with many holes having water hazards (just as a starter no.1 hole has water on either side plus a greenside bunker!). The ladies section has on average 18 active players weekly, and we have great competitions and plenty of fun!. We do of course take our golf seriously and keep to the rules as per the R&A rule book, with some normal local rules. This year we are very proud to have secured sponsorship through Pick ‘n Pay Sedgefield and Wimpy Sedgefield, a great feather in our cap and something we truly appreciate; Sedgefield is a small village and “supporting local” is very important to us. The committee try to make playing fun even when it’s serious! Weekly formats are planned for the year ahead and “special” games are scheduled well in advance to ensure all bases are covered on the day. Golf is important but like with any club the social side is to, one of our most highly contested competitions of the year is the Islanders vs Villagers game. We dress up in team colours /outfits and perform a war cry (aka the haka, each year is different) before the game starts. Bragging rights are given for the year for whoever wins the prized trophy. Last year the Islanders won by the smallest of margins, however, it was their turn as the Villagers had won three years on the trot, so it was the Islanders turn – fair is fair! Every month we play a monthly Medal and Putt competition (we have 3 divisions Gold, Silver and Bronze) which is followed by a social get together, usually a braai or wood fired pizza’s cooked on site at Sedge Links (the best in Sedgefield in our opinion). CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS We also play a 3-month Eclectic competition and also a Knockout competition which runs over and above the normal mix of different weekly Stableford formats. CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS CONTINUED Club Championships are held over two weeks in early December, this being our most serious competition of the year, with players being announced onto the 1st Tee, which ramps the nerves up even more! THE YEAR AHEAD Winners are announced after our final game at our year end function. This year in conjunction with our sponsors Sedgefield Pick ‘n Pay and Wimpy, we are holding a newly created “Annual Ladies Open” Competition, whereby other lady players from surrounding clubs will be invited to play. We are hoping that this prized event will be hotly contested by all the local clubs. We are extremely privileged to have the South African Ladies National Coach, Val Holland conduct monthly clinics for the ladies throughout the winter. Sunday mornings have been so much fun and the ladies games have dramatically improved because of them. Yes another feather in the cap for the golfing ladies of Sedge! “One” of the great things about Sedge Links is that we have a diverse group of ladies; from different ages (ranging from the early 30’s to over 80’s) to different standards of golf which vary from a +1 handicap to a 23 handicap! Sedge Links is definitely worth a visit and we are always looking for new players to join us and welcome visiting ladies, even if just passing through for a game.

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LADIES GOLF DAYS: PAARL LADIES

a love of golf and great fellowship The essence of the Paarl Ladies Classic is a love of golf and great fellowship. What an incredible showcase of our beautifully presented course and the hospitality of our club. On a picture perfect day in Paarl the ladies were welcomed. each receiving their handmade happy hippie goody bags and a lovely breakfast cheese table and delicious Allée Bleue bubbly. With a full field of players all getting into the spirit of the day dressed in their happy hippie gear it was fun from start to finish. Many of our visiting players said it was a 5 star golf day not to be missed and we totally agree with them. As usual the ladies committee worked incredibly hard to present a creatively decorated venue and took the theme onto the course with a stunning display of decorated golf carts. This totally set the vibe for our happy hippie golf day. The golf was complemented by an abundance of wet holes offering delicious food, drinks and laughs. Ultimately the day was about golf, we had the usual fun and camaraderie of our 4 ball alliance format, with an individual competition alongside it. We also had some fun activations of which the most popular was shooting off the deck to the island – go girls you rock. The prize giving function was a celebration of a lovely day of golf and fun with friends. Thanks to our very generous sponsors the prizes were fantastic totaling around R50,000 in value. The food presented by our Golfing Goat Team was delicious and we were thoroughly spoiled by Allée Bleue who donated the wine for the tables. A day to be remembered – until we do it again next year

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LPGA INTERNATIONAL: CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP

The Chevron Championship and The Woodlands seek to raise the bar for women’s golf The Club at Carlton Woods will host the first major of the year from April 20-23. The enthusiasm of the title sponsor and the local community is bringing the Chevron Championship to a brand-new venue, The Club Carlton Woods, in The Woodlands, Texas. Just a few weeks before the start of this first major of the year, the excitement of Chevron and its employees, the members and staff of Carlton Woods, and the residents of The Woodlands is setting the stage for a memorable LPGA event. “It was really a natural fit as we looked at our portfolio of external engagements in the sports area. This is a real opportunity for us to raise the bar with women’s tournaments,” said Josetta Jones, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Chevron, which became the new title sponsor of the former ANA Inspiration through a six-year relationship with the LPGA that began in 2022. THE NEXT CHAPTER Jones, born and raised in the Houston area –and moving back to Texas after a period in California– will join a large Chevron employee base in the area, eager to volunteer and attend the tournament with their families and children. “As a large Fortune 500 company we support women; we support women athletics. Given the gravitas of this event and what it has done for women’s golf, we want to show that we are equally as committed to being the next chapter for this major,” added Jones about the history of a tournament with 14 champions inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame. According to Stacy Lewis, another Houston native and winner of the Chevron Championship in 2011 (then Kraft Nabisco), “the members and the club management at Carlton Woods are thrilled to have been chosen to host a Major Championship. Having the support of both the club and The Woodlands community will be crucial to establishing this as a wonderful major venue for the new era ahead.” the perfect stage for the next chapter of the LPGA’s first major of the season. For Lewis, captain of the 2023 and 2024 U.S. Solheim Cup Teams, who will be participating in her sixteenth Chevron Championship from April 20-23, “being able to compete in a major in front of my friends, family and community is pretty special.” Hosting a major championship is no small feat, but The Club at Carlton Woods seems to be the perfect stage for the next chapter of the LPGA’s first major of the season.

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PEZULA LADIES @HOME GOLF DAY

Some people call it Pezula, we call it Perfection. This is how we do it! 112 Ladies from as far afield as Jo’burg and Cape Town came and played in our wonderful Ladies @ Home Golf Day sponsored by Rair Boutique.The ladies arrived in the best Caribbean outfits, a clubhouse decorated from top to bottom in a tropical theme and had onsite massages before their game. The attention to detail on this day showcased through custom labelled goody bags, cart signs and GPS cart messages. setting the scene at pezula After a perfect day’s golf with plenty of watering holes, great weather, views of the Knysna lagoon and the Indian ocean, topless bunker boys, nearest to pin prizes and an attempt to see who could hit a champagne cork the furthest, the ladies came back to an amazing evening’s entertainment in the club house. From the moment Shaza started playing the scene was set and the fashion show hosted by Rair Boutique added to a magical evening that will be long remembered by the ladies present. The raffle prizes were supplied by the incredibly generous ladies at Pezula. With these prizes and the sale of mulligans we were extremely proud to hand over R14850 to a local charity very close to our hearts, Dorothy Broster Children’s home. A huge thank you to all the ladies who donated to the raffle as well as the Pezula Team for their part in showcasing our fantastic club. Join us every Friday for the ladies 9-hole competition at Pezula for R200pp including shared cart.The ladies’ social group at Pezula has exploded over the last few months! If you are in the area, pop an email to [email protected]. We would love to welcome you to our Friday competitions and introduce you to the amazing group of ladies here in Knysna! To view our upcoming events visit

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MERCEDES-BENZ AFTER WORK GOLF CUP

SEASON 5 – 12 january 2023 Season 5 is in full swingand we look forward to hosting you for a quick round of 9 holes of competitive golf. Bring along your friends and enjoy some time out on the golf course. EVENT DETAILS FormatIndividual Stableford Handicap DivisionsA Division 0 – 12B Division 13 – 24 The maximum official handicap for Men is 24 and Ladies is 28. Unofficial handicapped golfers can participate but will not qualify for the main prizes. Entrace FeeR150 inclusive of a light snack at prize-giving. REGISTER FOR THE 2023 MERCEDES-BENZ AFTER WORK GOLF CUP This series is all about fast golf, fast prize-giving and enjoying time with friends on the golf course.

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