Whatever happene I was born in Johannesburg in August 1946. At the time my parents were living in Modderfontein, a small town on the east side of Johannesburg. I attended primary school at Saint Paul’s Parochial in Orange Grove. My high school years we spent at Saint Benedict’s College in Bedfordview. My father was an avid golfer and from about the age of 8, I realized that there were always golf clubs and balls lying around the house. This was when I first became exposed to golf, although when I was a toddler, apparently when my dad went off to play golf my mom would insist that he take me along. So, he would employ a caddy to ferry me around the course generally on his back.
and a member Martin Smith. Howe and he drilled into me the fundam based on Ben Hogan’s books. He st throughout the swing and working the age of 18 or 19, I began compe eventually being selected to a Sou I was able to win several amateur e Strokeplay at Randpark by 14 strok the South African Matchplay Cham where I came back from 3 down w on the 37th hole.
My dad’s enthusiasm for the game resulted in me becoming interested in playing at the age of 12. My dad was a Bobby Locke disciple, having also competed in a Transvaal Open at Glendower which Bobby won by a street, shooting scores in the low 60’s. As a result, I was aware of the maestro’s eccentricities, such as wearing a tie on the course and wearing white golf shoes with tassels covering the laces. My dad owned a pair of those tasseled white shoes which I would ‘borrow’ when I went to the course after school. The shoes were obviously too large for me so I would stuff socks into the toes to make them fit. I would also wear my school tie when I played on my own.
in 1967, I was selected to represen Commonwealth Tournament in Ca on six further occasions during wh Brazilian Amateur in Sao Paulo in 1 represent SA at an event in New Ze passed a resolution banning SA sp competition which scuppered that wished to continue playing at a hig pro. I was thus almost forced into b illusions of success - it was literally happens’.
“My dad was my first teacher and he drilled into me the fundamentals of the golf swing”
in 1971 I competed as a pro on the on the then Order of Merit which g British events of the European Tou 1994, winning 15 events on the Su combined. Notable wins were the
At Modderfontein Golf Club there was a strong junior membership, and we were encouraged to improve by the club pro Stan Gates
in Europe I competed until 1992, w my best year with a second-place f Seve Ballesteros. In 1996 at age 50 attempt to qualify for the Senior To Pre-Qualifying event in Orlando an card at the Tour School finals at TPC
“I do still enjoy playing and occasio Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen. T they play a game with which I am n
Gary Player , Andy North, Bob Charles and Hugh Baiocchi at PGA National in Florida .
in 1997 my wife and I flew to the U Fortunately, I was successful early o tournament in Pittsburgh, eventua in 25 starts ending the year 8th on 1998 was more successful as I was
