MIND / PGA OF SOUTH AFRICA AWARDS PGA’s five champion members International award recognises growing PGA membership applying their expertise overseas. M
T wo of the most respected older professionals in South Africa were among the PGA of South Africa’s national award winners for 2024. John Dickson and Derek James, both former Sunshine Tour players, have again been recognised by their peers in the PGA. This year the PGA have announced a new International award category, recognising the many members of the PGA of South Africa working overseas. Coincidentally, the winner of the PGA Management Award, Darrin Hedley, recently resigned from Bryanston Country Club to accept the position of golf director at Heritage’s Le Chateau course in Mauritius. The International winner is not eligible to win the PGA Professional of the Year Award. This is contested by the other four award winners.
36” group sessions, while there are fo- cused lessons for serious junior golf- ers. To make it less intimidating for beginners, he provides group or two- for-one lesson options. His academy promotes women’s clinics and has in- troduced a young female coach. “I am passionate about teaching and strive to simplify it for all the differ- ent groups who come for lessons,” he said. “Numerous myths and miscon- ceptions exist, and the overload of in- formation on social media can hinder progress.”
Derek James National winner / Club Professional
James, both golf director and PGA professional at Southbroom Golf Club on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, is highly decorated in terms of the awards he has won. He has been Club Professional of the Year three times, in 2002, 2010 and 2014, and has twice won awards as PGA Coach of the Year. He has served Southbroom for 27 years, having moved there following his retirement from the Sunshine Tour, and his well-stocked pro shop
Dickson’s unique approach to cus- tomer engagement and his accom- modating approach has made him one of the best in the golf industry. “He is almost too generous with his time and always keeps his customers front of mind,” was one of the moti- vating comments from a fellow PGA professional. “This dedication to his craft makes John sought after and a role model to his peers.” Dickson teaches everyone from beginners to elite golfers through a variety of carefully designed pro- grammes. One of them is “Operation
John Dickson National winner / Game Development Coach Dickson, who operates his own teach- ing academy at Country Club Johan- nesburg, won the PGA’s new award for Game Development Coach. He had previously won the PGA’s Coach of the Year award three times – this was before the award was split into two separately judged categories; Game Development and High Performance.
12 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024
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