EDITOR’S LETTER E LIV A GOOD FIT FOR SA GOLF
T wo positive occurrences for SA golf in 2026 will be The Club at Steyn City hosting a LIV Golf tournament in March, and the winner of the SA Open receiving an invitation to the Masters at Augusta National. Stellenbosch Golf Club, the Open venue at the end of February, must be delighted at that prospect. Hopefully, it will boost the strength of international entries. Having Louis Oosthuizen and his Stingers team on home soil at Steyn City, though, and witnessing the spectacle of a LIV Golf production, is something capable of reshaping the demographics of golf in South Africa. The initial response has already re- sulted in the sale of 30 000 tickets for the three-day event from March 20-22. Traditionalists may not like the dis- ruption LIV Golf has caused to the es- tablished professional tours, yet their circuit does attract new fans who might become future participants, and this is why our hosting LIV is of vital importance. Statistics from the past three years show that 30 percent of LIV Golf attendees are experiencing their first pro tournament. And 40 percent of these first-timers are female, while 60 percent of attendees are under the age of 45. South Africa has the potential to be a substantial future market for LIV, and that’s why the tournament is be- ing played in Gauteng, with its huge local population and easy access for visitors from other cities and African countries. The record attendance for a LIV event was 102 000 at Adelaide, Australia in 2025, and there’s every reason to believe that Steyn City could attract a similar figure. It is a big and spacious course which can accom- modate large crowds, although one issue might be the Jukskei River that runs through the middle of it – there is currently only one crossing point. Certainly, we should beat the 60 000
American attendance record. The Shotgun Start format of their tournaments helps in dispersing a large crowd around all 18 holes, al- though I would expect a mass of fol- lowers for Bryson DeChambeau. Attractions include fan zones, enter- tainment activities, a “Party Hole” on a par 3, “Club 54” hospitality on the 18th, and live music concerts. Families make up 40 percent of fans, because all children aged 12 and under attend free with a paying adult. Australia and Africa are two con- tinents which do not host PGA Tour events, so LIV Golf is our only oppor- tunity to watch a guaranteed large grouping of the best household names in the game. The biggest positive about LIV is that none of their players miss an event, unless incapacitated. The Adelaide tournament this year generated a record $81.46 million in terms of economic impact for the host region. The average is only $40 million at other events. Many will wonder how South Africa can afford such an event. Our weak rand means we are no longer finan- cially able to host the Presidents Cup match we had in 2003. Firstly, the prizemoney of $30 million is fully funded by LIV Golf. Event and op- erational costs are typically shared among LIV, local government, the host venue, and event partners. Rev- enue from ticket sales and hospitality is reinvested into the operations and global growth of LIV Golf, supporting the sustainability and expansion of fu- ture venues, like this one at Steyn City. The goal is to ensure a sustainable, long-term model that delivers mutual value, building something that ben- efits the local economy, communities, and the growth of the game. Stuart McLean stuartm@morecorp.co.za
MY GAME: TIGER WOODS –
Episode 1 Driver Distance Episode 2 Driver Control Episode 3 Approach Shots Episode 4 Playing Par 3s Episode 5 Trajectory Episode 6 Fairway Bunkers Episode 7 From the Rough Episode 8 Great Escapes Episode 9 Uneven Lies Episode 10 Distance Wedges SHOT-MAKING SECRETS Each episode 15 minutes Click below...
EDITOR STUART MCLEAN DESIGN ELINORE DE LISLE MEDIA SALES DANIEL EGDES (daniele@morecorp.co.za) GOLF DIGEST USA
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JERRY TARDE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR MAX ADLER EXECUTIVE EDITOR PETER MORRICE INTERNATIONAL EDITOR JU KUANG TAN
TEACHING PROFESSIONALS: TODD ANDERSON, MARK BLACKBURN, CHUCK COOK, HANK HANEY, BUTCH HARMON, ERIKA LARKIN, DAVID LEAD- BETTER, CAMERON MCCORMICK, JIM MCLEAN, MICHAEL NEFF, RENEE POWELL, RANDY SMITH, RICK SMITH, DAVE STOCKTON, JOSH ZANDER PLAYING EDITORS: COLLIN MORIKAWA, JORDAN SPIETH A licensing agreement between Warner Brothers Discovery and Morecorp, owners of The Pro Shop and World of Golf. Warner Brothers Discovery is a global leader in real-life enter- tainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains.
6 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2025
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