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Roll call of champions at Estcourt
Louis Jnr at Fynbos Louis Oosthuizen used to be a regular visitor to Fynbos in his youth in the 1990s, staying with family at Eerste Rivier on the Tsitsikamma Coast, and there’s a photo in the pro shop of him with a trophy. One of the members re- calls bets being taken that young Louis could outdrive any of the regulars at the club, not with just a normal tee shot, but getting down on his knees to hit the ball. “He won most of the time.” The 36-hole Estcourt Open in November is a rare event which both amateurs and professionals can enter and has been going for more than 60 years. There are famous names among the list of champions on the clubhouse honours boards. Among them, Bobby Locke in 1968 and 1971, David Frost in 1981, Reg Taylor in 1964, Jeff Hawkes, Henry Trev- ena, Bobby Lincoln and, in more recent years, George Coetzee and James Ka- mte. Former Sunshine Tour player Lin- dani Ndwandwe won it four times, but the record number of victories is six by Mark Ireland. Champagne Sports Resort golf director Trevor Livesey won in 1987 and 1989 and has continued to compete to the present day, finishing in the top 3 at the most recent open.
NUMBER 17 Estcourt, KZN Midlands
NUMBER 19 Springbok, Namaqualand, Northern Cape.
RANKING CRITERIA
CLUBHOUSE: Must be an attractive building open most days of the week, have a welcoming 19th hole, and include basic facilities. AESTHETICS: The scenic values of the courses must add to the pleasure of the round. DESIGN VARIETY: How varied are the holes in differing lengths, configurations, hazards, and green shapes. INNOVATION: Creation of alternate greens, variety of tees from different angles, double pins, different pars for same holes. CHALLENGE: Does the course have length, hazards, rough, tight fairways, sloping greens? CONDITION: The quality of the fairways, tees, bunkers and greens relative to the club’s resources. 10 points are awarded for each criteria.
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 63
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