GCM

DECEMBER 2008

The
Business

Volume 4 • Issue 12
Magazine
for the Golf Industry
Golf Club Management Visit www.compleatgolfer.co.za for back issues of GCM

Glendower
GOLF Club
A MAJOR FACELIFT

Also in this issue

■ Euphoria’s 5-Star clubhouse
■ Motivational fixes

■ Club profile – Koro Creek Bushveld Golf Estate

■ Damage to property on estates

■ The designers – Sean Quinn and Golf Data

brought to you by
 EDITOR’S LETTER
CONTENTS
Lead Story
Glendower revamp 4

5-Star Feature
Euphoria’s clubhouse 7

HR Development
Motivational fixes 11
from
the editor
Club Profile
Koro Creek 14

Legal
Damage to homes on golf estates 16

On the move Another day and another golf estate is

New appointments 19
launched – or so it seems. All the while
Service
Service Excellence Award nominations 20 rounds are decreasing at many traditional
Manager of the Month
clubs and the number of corporate golf days
Derek Murdoch 21 is sure to decline. What is the answer?
Turfgrass Management
Irrigation 22 The price of survival to play their course.
It is a question debated at dinner parties and We don’t need business degrees to realise
Design and construction it is a favourite topic at 19th holes – does that we need more golfers, and quickly.
Golf Data 27 the property market really need more golf es- We have inherited a system that was never
Last word tates? I suppose as long as crime continues designed to accommodate the plethora of
The SAGA’s new president 31 to flourish, there will always be a demand new courses. We do not have municipal or
for high-security, gated communities. Why pay-and-play facilities that feed the system,
these estates need golf courses is something and we are heading for an unpleasant sur-
Cover Picture: of a mystery. It would seem that as long as prise if believe that the 2010 World Cup is
Glendower’s revamp includes new greens and there is a well-heeled sector of the commu- going to answer all of our economic ills. Golf
repositioned bunkering – costing R9 million. nity that can pay top-dollar for their ‘piece tourism may bring a trickle of extra greenfees
of paradise’, we will continue to construct to some courses, but from where I’m sitting I
■ Editorial can’t see tour buses lined up with punters.
John Botha ever-more elaborate courses. A pertinent
email: bogeyfree@mweb.co.za question might be: who is going to play these We have to promote the game within our
cell: 082 498 7380 courses? Now of course certain clubs get by own country, and if we think we can hang
■ AdvertisinG quite well without large numbers of rounds – around for golf’s administrators to do this we
Simon Turck (PUBLISHER) the likes of the exclusive River Club, Leopard are in for a long wait. We are in for an even
email: simon@rsp.co.za Creek and Blair Atholl. But of course the longer wait if we expect the development
cell: 083 252 8387
members of these clubs pay a premium for efforts, politically and morally well-meaning
■ AdvertisinG
this exclusivity. Whether or not the residents though they may be, to bear fruit.
TYRON MARTIN (ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE)
email: tyronm@rsp.co.za of these new golf estates, particularly those There has to be something learned from
cell: 083 235 7509 who do not play golf (by far the majority), the Americans, who have taken upon them-
■ Advertising will be happy to fund these courses, remains selves to ‘sell’ the game in their own commu-
James Ferrans (National Sales Manager) to be seen. nities. Special member/guest days and open
email: jamesf@rsp.co.za It is a fact that new estates have poached days at clubs do a lot to bring new people
cell: 084 252 6373
many members from traditional clubs, and into the game, but we see very little of this
■ SUBSCRIBE to GCM added to this is the worrying trend which sort of marketing done in South Africa.
Natalie Shekleton
tel: 011 301 4448 suggests that all clubs are in for a tough It is time for all of us to spread the word –
email: natalies@rsp.co.za time anyway. A knee-jerk reaction has been golf is a game of a lifetime, and the game of
To request your complimentary subscription to GCM, simply for some clubs to try to cut costs and to our livelihood.
SMS ‘GCM and your name’ to 35172 (SMS costs R3) or discount membership rates and greenfees –
contact Natalie Shekleton on 011 301 4448.
a slippery slope. The fierce competition for
Visit our website www.compleatgolfer.co.za the corporate golf day business has also seen
some discounted deals being struck, good for
the corporates – as long as they can justify
A monthly business-to-
business magazine hosting golf days. But not so good for the
brought to you by clubs when their members start to work out
that they are effectively subsidising visitors

Golf Club Management December 2008 3

GLENDOWER FACELIFT

Glendower
A major facelift for a parkland classic
South Africa’s highly-ranked Glendower embarked on a major project to modernise its greens complexes and to
reposition its bunkering. John Botha visited the club and discovered that the changes being made will obviously
improve what was an excellent layout to begin with.
No golfer who knows Glendower would dispute a long history and the element of trust was an It was also agreed to do away with certain
the fact that this parkland layout ranks with important factor. The company’s reputation in old retaining walls of greens which were
the best in the world. Its championship cre- the industry has never been in doubt, and we simply dated and artificial-looking. The edges
dentials have been proven over the years, and are confident that the work has been done to of lakes, notably on the 2nd, 3rd and 13th,
it has, for the most part, stood up to the test highest possible standards. Importantly, our have also been reshaped to improve visibility.
of modern equipment. It has all the attributes members were involved with the whole process But perhaps most importantly, the fairway
that one looks for in a great golf course – an and at a special meeting course architect bunkering, as on many older courses, needed
interesting mix of holes, it is well routed, Sean Quinn explained what was to done in repositioning. “We looked at landing areas in
and manages to strike the balance between a two-hour presentation. Every member was the 280-metre range on all the par fours and
demanding a high degree of skill for a player given the opportunity to put forward any ideas fives and we have made adjustments where
to beat par, yet allows those of more modest or reservations over the next few weeks. The necessary,” says Quinn.
ability to have fun. Yet it was not without its members were overwhelmingly in favour of the The total changes have involved a huge
faults, minor though they may have been. decided changes.” amount of work, and while some clubs might
These are now in the process of being sorted “Originally we were approached to simply have chosen to effect these improvements
out and, without preempting results from replace the greens, which were made up of in phases over a period of time, Glendower
course ranking panels, it is a fair bet that this 90-percent poa,” says Quinn. “This involved wisely ‘bit the bullet’ and did the whole
course is going to cause a major stir. Compleat taking GPS readings which revealed some project in one go.
Golfer currently ranks Glendower as the interesting slopes and shapes that would have Besides the inconvenience of having the golf
second-best classic layout in the country, and been unplayable with the modern strains of course chopped up for the better part of a year,
once the new look is unveiled (planned for 31 bent used today. I managed to convince the this has been an expensive exercise. The cost
January 2009) there could be a photo-finish committee that subtle changes would increase of the revamp amounts to R9 million. Glen-
in the race for No 1. playability and offer an increased amount of dower operates on a surplus of about R2 mil-
The success of this club has much to do pin positions.” lion a year and factoring in the loss of revenue
with its enthusiastic, loyal membership, strong
leadership and its position; close to the city of
Johannesburg yet far enough away to avoid the
frenetic traffic and accompanying noise. But
it is the course that is the heart of a golf club,
and this layout is as good as it gets. Many
would describe Glendower as being a national
golfing treasure and, as such, the responsibil-
ity of making any changes would weigh heavily
of the shoulders of those who made this deci-
sion, as well as those who would be tasked
with carrying out the work.
“Obviously the decision to go ahead with
what is a major project was not taken lightly,”
says Paul Leishman, the man who runs this
club. “There were discussions for about four
years before work started.” Once it was de-
cided to go ahead, the question of who would
be entrusted with the design and construc-
tion was dealt with and, after various options Subtle sloping of the putting surfaces will allow for high stimpmeter readings and the new
were considered, Golf Data was awarded the shaping will offer more pin positions.
contract. “Our relationship with Golf Data has

4 December 2008 Golf Club Management


this year of about R3 million, this constitutes a
R5-million deficit – a considerable sum.
Golf Data’s Robbie Marshall makes no
secret of the fact that he considers Glendower
to be one of his favourite courses, and his
association with the club goes back 18 years.
“This was the first major project we undertook
all those years ago – when we reconstructed
the greens”, he says. “We never built them to
USGA specifications then, they were ‘push-
up’ surfaces which we shaped. Our brief this
time was to modernise the greens complexes,
which was definitely needed, without chang-
ing their basic character – still retaining the
subtle slopes but with different bunkering.
We have also made other changes which will
move the course into the 21st century. Quite
honestly we would never have wanted to make
any radical changes to the overall design –
true classics like this are rare and should be
treated with the utmost respect.”
The most noticeable change has been
made to the 5th hole, which has been
lengthened and converted into a dogleg which
Go l f p e o ptolthe
swings e left.
_ a The
d _ 10th,
b i galways
. p dconsid-
f P a g e has1 used8 /this
297 Golfpeople Dale Hayes ad 8/27/08 1:33 AM Page 4
ered to be one of the finest par fours in the
Construction has been to the highest speci-
fications and the new A1/A4 bent grass
surfaces, with state-of-the-art drainage,
promise to be as good as any in the country.
country, has had its teeing ground moved
to the right, which will further improve the
hole. The 18th green has also been changed;
lowered and repositioned – with the approach
played uphill, this was always a design flaw
which has now been rectified.
With rounds of golf reduced from the
usual 50 000 a year to a trickle (about 500
a month), it has been a frustrating time for
the energetic manager Paul Leishman, but he
2 quieter
8 / 0 8time
, constructively.
1 1 : 4 6 “We AM
have used this lull to focus on C
areas
M
such
Y
as
CM MY
GLENDOWER FACELIFT
staff training, and eight of our employees have
completed computer courses,” he says.
There are lessons to be learned from this
club, not least of all its commitment to its
mission statement – to provide a world-class
facility to its members and visitors. Astute
financial management has also allowed
the club the luxury of funding this ambi-
tious project, but again the spirit among the
members deserves a mention. “In order to
help with our cash-flow during this period we
encouraged our members to ‘buy’ a dozen
rounds in advance to be used during the
revamp. The members responded positively
to this, although as we approach the opening
of the ‘new’ course, few actually used their
pre-paid rounds.
Most importantly, Golf Data has stuck to
the tight schedule and before completion
the management and committee are already
looking at plans to revamp the clubhouse, but
that’s another story. As the newly-planted seed
on the 9th green is showing signs of germina-
tion (the A1/A4 strain of bent), it is clear that
no-one at Glendower is letting the grass grow
CY
under their feet.
CMY K
■
 5-STAR FEATURE

Aiming for the stars

– all five of them
Euphoria’s clubhouse was designed and constructed with one overriding goal in mind – to qualify as a truly
5-Star Experience. GCM visited this impressive facility, and it is clear the developers have succeeded.
Euphoria Golf Estate and Hydro’s clubhouse says Gert, Euphoria’s CEO, an industrial Overlooking the closing holes with the
was completed after two years of planning, engineer who holds a doctorate in his field. imposing mountain behind, the three-story
designing and construction. Before the final “The brief to our architect (Mark Hanson structure certainly fits, and particularly
touches were added, it was clear that the of Metro Arc) also included the importance pleasing is the way in which the building em-
finished product had achieved what owner/ of the structure fitting in with our unique bodies strong traditional influences as well
developers Faan and Gert Erasmus had landscape.” as reflecting the contemporary African theme
envisaged. Mr Faan Erasmus, chairman of During the design phase a task team was of the estate. The sandstone cladding, which
Euphoria, admits that there were times when formed to ensure that every box would be was mined nearby, combines well with the
he and his team had to deal with the frustra- ticked, looking at criteria such as: other materials, which includes rust-coloured
tions of contractors failing to make dead- ■ external appearance and impact face brick.
lines, but after various delays the end result ■ layout for golf and non-golfing events It is clear that considerable thought was
was worth waiting for. ■ size and capacities given to the all-important flow of traffic, with
“We were determined that the clubhouse ■ unique features the golf-related area on the lower-ground
should be of the appropriate size, be func- ■ décor and atmosphere floor and multifunctional above. Golfers
tional and feature the latest in technology,” ■ technology are greeted in the car park and given a cart

Designed by Mark Hanson, the Euphoria clubhouse has a distinctly contemporary African look with strong traditional influences.

Golf Club Management December 2008 7


Furnishings are tasteful and practical, and
add to the relaxed atmosphere.
which is driven to the golf reception area. The
pro shop, locker-rooms and halfway house are
on this level. The upper-level consists of a
60-seater fine-dining restaurant, the bar and
bar lounge which seats up to 100 people, and
a 140-seater function room with an adjoining
room that can accommodate a further 60 peo-
ple. Add to all this a beautiful wine cellar that
can be used for functions for up to 30 people,
and of course the much-publicised cable
car that runs to the top of the mountain that
overlooks the course, and you have something
really special.
But one can have all the elaborate facili-
ties, but in order for the visiting golfer to feel
welcome and thoroughly spoiled, one needs
the personnel to make it all work – and again
Euphoria has come up trumps. A consider-
able amount of time and effort has gone into
staff training, and particularly considering
that this course has been open less than a
year, the entire team is on their toes. Particu-
lar mention must be made of the high quality
Small groups are able to experience fine dining in the wine cellar, and the quality of the cuisine
on offer is unquestionably five-star.
The foyer is an example of understated elegance, and the liberal use of rosewood throughout the
building attests to the fact that no expense was spared.
of cuisine on offer in the restaurant, and
even the simple fare at the halfway house is
prepared and presented with care.
This is a 21st-century clubhouse with all
the bells and whistles – wireless connec-
tivity, room-to-room intercom and sound
systems, smoke detectors (unfortunately no
cigar lounge) and an elaborate conference
projection and sound system. There is a
multi-channel television network, an online
tee-booking system, and handicap terminals
in the change rooms and pro shop. In the
Golf Club Management
5 STAR FEATURE
case of an Eskom power failure, there are
generators standing by that can comfortably
supply sufficient power to run the club.
Euphoria will soon be rated by Compleat
Golfer’s panel of 5-Star judges, and it is a
fair bet that this estate will not only meet,
but surpass the standards required for
5-Star status. ■
Ticking all the boxes
The formula used for the design and con-
struction of Euphoria’s clubhouse works
well because of its:
Positioning – Close enough to the 1st
and 10th tees, and with great views of
the 9th and 18th holes.
Aesthetics – Uniquely African with
pleasing traditional influences. Good
choice of materials which blend well with
the surrounding countryside.
Design – The flow for golfers and non-
golfing visitors makes sense. There is
also ample space for functions.
Functionality – Careful thought has
gone into the positioning of kitchens, ab-
lution facilities, storage facilities, goods
receiving areas, etc.
Décor – Elegant without being ‘over the
top’. Each room has a separate theme
and all blend well together.
December 2008 9

Five quick motivational fixes
for teams under pressure
How do you keep your team focused and motivated when they’re tired and stretched to the limit, as often
happens over the festive season? Andrew Wilson of GCM suggests five quick interventions that can lift your
team members in the short term.
One of my earliest memories of the work-
place was gained in a mail-order warehouse
among the dark satanic mills of Bradford
in Yorkshire. I was a youngster of 18 and
our manager was a crusty old man who, as
the saying goes, was living proof that Snow
White must have had sex with Grumpy. He
stood just over five-foot tall and was forever
bitter about the fact that the British army
had turned him down in 1939 because of his
height. The pent-up anger he was hoping to
unleash on the Germans was instead bottled
up and poured out on his poor unsuspect-
ing warehouse team. This was particularly
evident when the pressure was on. One of
his favourite pastimes was to tell you exactly
what he thought of your mother for having
the audacity to bring you into this world!
Those were the good old/bad old days when
management could do anything and jobs
were scarce. Every cloud, however, has a
silver lining and those experiences taught
me how not to motivate a team of people,
especially when the pressure is on. Your
team members are far more inventive than
you could ever imagine in thinking up ways
to undermine your position and performance
if you don’t earn their trust and respect.
When the pressure is on and things go
wrong, the team can lose its focus and
motivation. This is when the team leader
can make a real difference. Hopefully all the
planning meetings have already happened
because, over the festive season, there is
no time to be wasted in lengthy meetings.
Your team members want your support, your
involvement, your encouragement and your
smile! During times of pressure your only
goal is to get the job done with the team you
have hopefully been growing and developing
during the year. There will always be a time
for reflection, analysis and even maybe
criticism after the festive season is over.
Here are five things you can do to help
‘lift’ your team during those exhausting and
challenging pressure times.
1. Be visible
Throw away the key to your office and
spend as much time as you can with your
people. The paperwork can wait until lat-
er. As the book The One Minute Manager
states, catch people doing things right.
Try to identify when the pressure times
will occur in the various areas of the club
and be there to help.
2. Be involved
Show a real interest in the challenges
and pressures that your team members
are facing. If you know that the pressure
will be on behind the bar from say 16h30
until 19h00, then be there to help with
serving the drinks or clearing the tables.
There is a fine line between involvement
and interference. Offer help frequently
and only offer advice either when asked
for it or when absolutely necessary.
3. Be confident
No matter how under pressure you may
be, always project an air of confidence. If
your team members see that you are wor-
ried or concerned it will negatively affect
their levels of confidence and subse-
quently their performance. Focus on solu-
tions rather than problems. Try to instil a
culture that supports the ideology of ‘it’s
not the mistake that counts but rather the
speed of the recovery’. Encourage your
team members to identify and own up to
problems as soon as possible so that they
can be discussed and resolved quickly.
4. Be caring
If a team member is in trouble, either in
the work situation or domestically, the
added pressures of the festive season can
often be the last straw. This is when you
need to be ultra-observant and watch out
for the signs of negative stress. The soon-
er you can nip a problem in the bud the
better. Take time to listen to your team
members. Very often just giving them the
opportunity to share their problems will
go a long way towards solving them.
Golf Club Management
HR DEVELOPMENT
5. Be enthusiastic
Celebrate the small successes such as
getting through a particular busy period.
Clap hands and cheer. Thank the team
for their efforts. Use the words ‘we’ and
‘us’ far more than ‘I’ and ‘you’. If you get
complimentary comments from members
or visitors, pass them on to your team.
Good luck over the festive season and
everything of the best for 2009. ■
■ For advice on human resource issues con-
tact Andrew Wilson at consultaew@iafrica.
com or on 082 575 3861.
A READER’S LETTER...
My understanding is that salaries and
bonuses are confidential and should
not be discussed with anyone else. Is
this correct and if so, can we discipline
someone for disclosing their salary and
bonus details to another staff member?
GCM:
We are dealing here with the difference
between private on the one hand and
confidential on the other. Unfortunately,
there is nothing in labour law to guide
you. There are a number of factors that
determine how much a person receives
in terms of salary and bonus. For this
reason, staff members should be told
that their salary and bonus details are
confidential and should not be disclosed
to others. On the other hand, another
person’s salary and bonus details are
private and must never be passed on to
others by a third party. This is in line
with the common law on privacy. The
bottom line is that you may not stop a
person disclosing their own salary and
bonus information to a third party. For
obvious reasons though, this practice
should be discouraged.
December 2008 11

New chairman for Turf Managers
Association KwaZulu-Natal
At its monthly meeting at the Umkomaas Golf
Club, the Turf Managers Association of
KwaZulu-Natal elected a new chairman –
Rob Ainslie of Port Shepstone Country Club.
At this meeting Mr Gavin Smit, an agrono-
mist for new product development and com-
mercialisation of Illovo’s current agrochemi-
cal range, was the guest speaker.
Due to a resignation the association found
itself without a chairman, and the well-
known Ainslie has accepted the challenge.
“Our vision is to take the association forward,
with all our members benefiting from their
membership. We will be establishing a
website allowing our members to post ques-
tions relating to various problems, and our
fellow associates will assist them in finding
answers. Continuing education within the
industry is obviously encouraged – part of
this being the sourcing of speakers, each an
expert in their field, for our monthly meet-
ings,” says the new chairman.
Ainslie also says that new members are
being encouraged to join the association,
which offers the following benefits for its
members:
1. Educational resources made available to
the turf managers.
2. Communication and networking among all
turf managers.
3. Regular monthly meetings sponsored by
a supplier, at a designated golf club. This
presents an opportunity to learn from the
invited speakers as well as experiencing a
round of golf at that course.
4. Being able to attend educational work-
shops throughout the year and the annual
TMA conference.
5. Having access to an active committee,
which is available for help with any mat-
ter, or required resources related to our
industry.
6. Receiving a monthly newsletter, keeping
all members in touch with current and
future turf-related matters.
7. Attending a quarterly regional turf manag-
ers meeting, where practical management
situations and solutions are discussed in
an informal environment.
8. Membership also offers affiliation to
the national body of turf managers of
South Africa.
At the cutting edge
Port Shepstone’s Rob Ainslie has been
elected as chairman of the Turf Managers
Association of KwaZulu-Natal.
Everyone within the golf industry or any
person related to turf management is wel-
come to join the association for a nominal
annual fee. “The association presently has
103 members and is going from strength to
strength due to the camaraderie found in
Natal,” says Ainslie. “Our province is known
for its extreme climatic variations, ranging
from cold conditions at altitude to the warm
coastal conditions; from drought-related
problems to annual flooding. Because of
this, our association has a broad base of
knowledge from which the turf managers can
obtain a wide range of information.” ■
A tough act to follow
Royal Johannesburg and Kensington’s
former course superintendent Grahame
Corbett has settled in at Fancourt and,
from what we hear, he has made his
presence felt in a very positive way.
The man now in charge of Royal’s
famous East and West courses is Malcolm
Bromley, a man with the experience and
passion to carry on the excellent work done
by Corbett and his team. “I’m thoroughly
enjoying the challenge at Royal, and the
responsibilities that come with the job at a
club that is considered to be one of the top
facilities in the country,” he says.
Malcolm will be profiled in the next
issue of GCM.
CLUB PROFILE

Koro Creek
Nylstroom’s change of identity
GCM recently visited the Koro Creek Bushveld Golf Estate in Modimolle (formerly Nylstroom) and found a
thoroughly charming place that is well worth a visit.
With respect to Koro Creek’s marketing effort,
which by the amount and quality of homes
on this estate has been successful, there are
still many golfers who have not experienced
this new facility. The message is simple: get
there and play this bushveld beauty.
A little-known fact is that the original Nyl-
stroom golf club was founded in 1926, and
could boast the only course north of Pretoria
(in what was then the Northern Transvaal) to
be fully grassed. For some reason the course
moved to its current location in 1961 – still
a modest (though grassed) nine-hole layout
which served what we must assume was a
rather small community of avid golfers. This
course quietly existed, mostly escaping the
notice of the wider golfing world, which is Presently the developer’s lodge is being used as a temporary clubhouse – the opening of the
perhaps the way the locals wanted it. new facility is only months away.
This quaint facility might have continued
to exist under the radar were it not for a
certain Mr Faan Hartzer, a man who clearly by magnificent indigenous trees and plenty of halfway house is a little cramped, the struc-
had an eye for the potential of the surround- water. The beauty of the design has much to ture oozes character. The new facility, a huge
ing real estate. Hartzer acquired the golf do with using the water to best effect without thatched structure, is almost completed and
course, together with the adjoining property adversely affecting the playability of the should open early next year, and looks likely
(including an 850-hectare game farm) and course. This results in wonderful wetlands to resemble a five-star game lodge.
converted the course into a full 18 holes. and lakes greatly enhancing the aesthetic At the time of GCM’s visit to the estate,
Douw van der Merwe, together with Wonder value of most holes, with the accompanying the golf club was being managed by Pierre
Gardens, was commissioned for the design bird life, without presenting the handicap Botha, with estate manager Johan Hat-
and construction of the new project, which is golfer with unrealistic carries. tingh also assisting with matters relating to
quite honestly a magnificent layout. But nothing worthwhile comes easy, and the course. Willem Fillies was in charge of
The impression one gets when entering the new course suffered severe flooding in course maintenance, but it was thought that
the estate is that it was properly planned, the early stages of its construction. The Klein the management structure might change as
and the thatch theme not only fits perfectly Nyl a tributary of the Nyl which the early the homeowners were about to take over the
with the bushveld surroundings, but also settlers mistook for the Nile River, wreaked management of the club and course.
gives the estate a wonderful African feel. It is havoc when it burst its banks, and pictures in A small mid-week company day was being
clear that investors here, either the residents the clubhouse show the fledgling course thor- held at the course the day of our visit and
or those who are fortunate to have their oughly swamped, with water levels reaching the players were clearly taking advantage of
holiday homes on the estate, didn’t skimp on the 100-year flood line. We are told that the the most reasonable bar prices. “Affordabil-
the design and construction of their homes, possibility of flooding is a thing of the past. ity is very much part of our image,” Pierre
and there are some truly impressive creations Course construction began in 2005, and Botha tells us. “Bar prices and greenfees
on display. Whoever designed and built these the 18 holes were completed by August are kept to a minimum and in terms of value
homes certainly knew what they doing, and 2006. At present the clubhouse is occupying for money we are hard to beat.” Certainly at
the thatching is as artful and as neat as can an attractive lodge which belongs to the de- R140 per round for affiliated visitors, and
be found anywhere. veloper. This is a temporary arrangement that R200 for a non-affiliated player this is true,
The course is a most pleasant surprise – a seems to be sufficient for the club’s present and one might suggest that a course of this
combination of undulating fairways flanked needs, and in fact, even though the bar and quality could possibly demand more.

14 December 2008 Golf Club Management

 CLUB PROFILE

Gentle shaping and maximum use of the changes in elevation, as well as excellent routing
around water features, adds to the enjoyment of this bushveld beauty.

The round begins with a reachable par
five (468m) with a perfectly positioned
green, inviting the approach with the second
shot but with enough trouble around the
putting surface to suggest that a lay-up
might be the wisest strategy. As the round
progresses there are many examples of risk-
and-reward options, and the par threes are
all outstanding. One unusual feature of the
layout is the par-three 7th, which is stroke
one. (This on both the men’s and women’s
card.) Another anomaly is the finishing hole
– a relatively generous par five of only 500
metres from the tips which has the highest
stroke. At full stretch, measuring 6 790
metres, this is no pussycat, and for champi-
onship play there is the possibility for some
interesting pin positions. The overriding
feeling is that the topography and existing
trees were used to best effect, and it must
be said that when this course needs just one
more good rainy season it will no doubt be at
its best. ■
FACT FILE
Location 135 kilometres north
of Pretoria
Course Classic bushveld parkland,
18 holes, 6 790m
Designer Douw van der Merwe
Construction Wonder Gardens
Estate 400 stands, modern African theme
Developer Faan Hartzer
Greenfees R140 (affiliated visitors)
Estate manager Johan Hattingh
Acting manager Pierre Botha
Contact 014 717 1181
Website www.korocreek.com

From the left: estate manager Johan Hattingh, acting manager Pierre Botha and club
professional Christo Hattingh.
LEGAL

Damage to property
Legal expert Jock McConnachie of McConnachies Inc looks at the case involving a resident of a golf estate who
applied for a court interdict against a golf club.
It has been said that golf would be a boring the issue as a dispute between neighbours number of golf balls landing on his property
game if not for the odd mishit. and examined the South African law applica- and causing damage was excessive.
Unfortunately when one mishits, one has ble. She pointed out that a dispute between Milnerton Golf Club contended that it had
no control over the ball – what it hits and neighbours, in this case the golf club on taken reasonable precautions and argued that
what damage it may cause. If the ball hits the one hand and the property owner on the the property owner had not proved that the
and damages the property of another, the other, invariably involves the question as to conduct of the club constituted a nuisance.
question of legal liability arises. When is whether or not there has been an abuse of The Cape High Court found that the club
the golfer liable to pay damages to the a right. The facts of each case must be ex- had not acted wrongfully and that the prop-
property owner? amined to determine whether the neighbour erty owner had failed to show that the club’s
This article concentrates on only one whose conduct is complained of exceeded conduct was unreasonable in the sense that
aspect of the above, namely nuisance and his powers of ownership. The issue, she said, the number of golf balls exceeded what
damage caused to the owner of a property by must be answered with reference to consid- could reasonably have been expected by the
mishit golf balls on a golf estate. erations of reasonableness and fairness. What owner, to strike his property. The court also
Many modern golf courses are surrounded is reasonable must be assessed objectively found that the owner had not shown that
by residential dwellings and all golfers know and with regard to the circumstances of each the damage caused to his property exceeded
that it is inevitable that the odd ball flies off- particular case. what could reasonably be expected in the
course and hits one of the lovely homes lining The property owner accepted that by own- normal course of a property situated on a
the course. The owners of residential dwellings ing a property bordering on the fairway of a golf course.
on golf estates also know the above, and to an golf course his right to free and undisturbed The court further found that the club had
extent, in purchasing a home on a golf course, use of his property would be interfered with taken reasonable measures to minimise the
accept an element of risk. to some extent. It would be reasonable for the risk and, bearing in mind that living next to a
The legal issues involved in this particular owner to tolerate some ingress of badly-hit golf course entails a real danger to proper-
situation were examined in great detail in golf balls. The owner’s complaint was that the ties being hit by golf balls, the club had not
the case of Milnerton Golf Club, where the
owner of a residential property on the estate
decided that too many mishit golf balls were
striking his property and applied to the Cape
High Court for an interdict against the club.
The Cape High Court rejected the applica-
tion, finding in favour of the club. The owner
took the decision on appeal to the Supreme
Court of Appeal, where the court reversed the
decision of the lower court, finding in favour
of the property owner and interdicting the
club from using a particular tee until such
time as certain changes were made so as to
reduce the number of balls likely to hit the
owner’s property.
Numerous issues of major interest to golf-
ers and golf course managers are discussed
in great detail in the two judgments. Some of
these issues are highlighted here:
The property owner was the applicant in
the Cape High Court where he applied for an
interdict against the club on the basis that
the number of golf balls striking his property Living next to a golf course entails a real danger of a resident’s property being hit by golf balls
constituted a common law nuisance. Judge – but clubs are expected to take reasonable measures to minimise this risk.
Traverso of the Cape High Court referred to

16 December 2008 Golf Club Management


interfered unreasonably with the rights of the
property owner.
The property owner took the judgment
on appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal
where Judge Ian Farlam and four other judg-
es disagreed with Judge Traverso, finding
that the evidence of the owner established
a sufficiently high incidence of badly-aimed
golf balls entering the owner’s property to
entitle the owner to relief in the form of
an interdict.
The Appeal Court found that the number of
balls was clearly excessive and unreasonable
in the circumstances and that what the prop-
erty owner had to endure was substantially
more than what a neighbour is obliged to put
up with on the application of the principle of
give-and-take, live-and-let-live, which forms
the basis of our law on this point.
The court also found that there were rea-
sonable steps which the club could take to
reduce the number of balls hitting the prop-
erty and interdicted the club from using the
6th hole until such time as it implements a
system of barriers near the tee.
In making his finding Judge Farlam re-
ferred with approval to the following excerpt
from the case of Campbelltown Golf Club
vs Winton and Another, which Judge Farlam
said reflects precisely what a South African
court would have held in closely analogous
factual circumstances, and which is a
statement as to what might reasonably be
expected between a golf course owner and
its residential neighbours:
“Undoubtedly the respondents bought
into a subdivision which bordered a golf
course. The benefit to them was that they
overlooked a degree of open space at the
rear of the premises. If it were not for the
problems caused by golf balls coming onto
their land, the outlook would have been a
pleasant one increasing their enjoyment of
the property.
“The problem with the appellant’s
submission is that it endeavours to relegate
houses built on land in the subdivision to an
inferior position to that occupied by the golf
course. In the appellant’s submission, the
golf course was the focal point. If it created
a problem for residents, that was something
which the residents had to tolerate. That is
not the law.
“What was required was that the golf
course should so adjust its activities as not
to interfere unreasonably with the peaceful
enjoyment by residents of their land. At the
LEGAL
same time, the residents, bordering as they
did a golf course, had to accept the fact that
the game of golf was going to be played on
the land adjoining their properties and that it
could be expected that from time to time golf
balls might come on to their land.
“But what they were not bound to accept
was a situation such as was suffered by the
respondents in which their property was pep-
pered with golf balls on a daily basis, thus
posing a threat, not only to the respondent’s
property but also to their physical safety. The
golf course was obliged so to construct the
hole as to divert balls hit normally away from
their property. This could be done by re-
routing the direction of the hole or by appro-
priate screens, whether natural or artificial, or
a combination of both as indeed has appar-
ently happened.”
Golf course managers and owners of resi-
dential properties neighbouring golf courses are
advised to take careful note of the principles
enunciated by the judges in the above case
and to conduct themselves accordingly. ■
Overtime
The club manager of a West Coast golf
club was complaining that he was work-
ing up to 12 hours on some days and
wasn’t being paid overtime. He was earn-
ing over R14 000 per month. Was his
complaint valid?
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act
stipulates that workers may not work:
■ overtime, unless by agreement
■ more than 10 hours overtime a week
(a collective agreement of workers may
increase this to 15 hours per week for
up to two months a year)
■ more than 12 hours on any one day
The provisions of the Act exclude:
■ senior managers
■ sales staff who travel and regulate
their own working hours
■ workers who work less than 24 hours
per month
■ workers who earn more than
R149 736 per year
Employers must pay workers overtime at
1.5 times the normal hourly wage. Alter-
natively, a worker may agree to receive
paid time off or a combination of pay and
time off.

Bill Taylor elected new
chairman of CMASA
Pictured at the CMASA’s annual general meeting where Bill Taylor
was elected as chairman. From left to right: Harry White, Bill Taylor,
Sue Nortje, Paul Leishman and Darren Dignam. Seated: Beryl Acres
and Mike Edy. Absent were Ian Leach, Peter Hanley, Lloyd Martindale
and Ann Robbie.
ON THE MOVE
Andrew McKenna, former European
Tour player and UK PGA qualified pro-
fessional recently joined Euphoria Golf
Estate and Hydro as director of golf. He
has joined the estate with the primary
objective of setting up a world-class
training facility for golfers who are seri-
ous about improving their game.
The vision for the project is to
create an internationally recognised academy to help the transition
from high-class amateur golfers into high-class professionals.
The academy will also cater for the underprivileged local
schools and will lead the way in developing golf in Limpopo Prov-
ince in general.
During the development of the estate, the course designer Annika
Sorenstam insisted on the inclusion of a state-of-the-art practice
area, and it is now Andrew’s duty to make this goal become a reality.
■ Jason Totos has left Durban Country Club to take up the
position of golf director at Pinnacle Point.
■ John Boyce has been appointed at club manager at
Modderfontein Golf Club.
■ Derek Hirson has moved to Prince’s Grant, and
Ray Stopforth has joined Royal Cape as golf manager.
SERVICE
GCM Service Excellence Awards
GCM has received several nominations for its Service Excellence Awards – and after a slow start, the number of
golf club employees that have been singled out for special mention has steadily increased, making the judges’
task a lot more difficult.
Although it has been encouraging to receive
numerous nominations, we would stress that
the sort of individual we are looking for needs
to be truly exceptional. Perhaps club manag-
ers feel that they have to nominate someone
from their club, and some seem to think that
the more names they put forward the better
the chance they have of winning – which is
obviously not the case. Once all the nomina-
tions have been received (clubs still have until
March 2009), our 5-Star judges will interview
each nominee (a process that has already
begun) and will also speak to members of the
club before making their final decisions.
Tima Pereira
Golf day coordinator – Glendower Golf Club
“Tima has served Glendower as membership
manager, PRO and golf event coordinator
for 12 years, and I can only describe her
performance as being faultless,” says club
general manager Paul Leishman. Glendower
hosts an average of two corporate days every
week, and Tima consistently goes well beyond
the normal call of duty in order to ensure that
guests all receive the red-carpet treatment.
“Every aspect of these days, from the first
enquiry to the last detail on the day is dealt
with by Tima in the most professional way,”
says Leishman.
Grahame Goslett
Golf manager – Mossel Bay
Grahame began working at Mossel Bay GC
as a caddie, and after proving his worth, he
20 December 2008 Golf Club Management
was promoted to managing the driving range. she is renowned for her fast, friendly service
His excellent work saw him being promoted at the halfway house.
to the position of golf coordinator, responsi-
ble for all golf-related functions at this busy
club. He now occupies the position of golf
manager and has delivered a stellar perform-
ance. “Grahame does an excellent job, and
we have received numerous compliments
regarding the service he delivers,” says
Mossel Bay’s CEO Bertus Smit.
Pieter Arendse
Food and beverage manager – Atlantic Beach
“Pieter joined Atlantic Beach as a waiter,
and he consistently showed a willing-
ness and enthusiasm for his work. He has
progressed through the ranks and is now our
food and beverage manager,” says the club’s
GM Amanda Forknall. “He is a reliable, loyal
Sane Gumede and a valuable member of our team – playing
Pro shop assistant – Cotswold Downs an important role in Atlantic Beach earning
Sane joined Cotswold Downs as a waitress, 5-Star status.”
but her bubbly personality and obvious
intelligence saw her promoted to pro shop as-
sistant almost two years ago, and she has ex-
celled in this position. Although knowing very
little about golf when she began her new job,
she soon got the hang of what was required,
and besides being a natural sales person, she
is an expert with the club’s GPS system. Her
infectious smile and her willingness to help Koos Putuka
makes her a favourite with members, visitors Player’s assistant – Euphoria Golf Estate
and her colleagues. Koos began playing golf five years ago at
the Naboomspruit Golf Club and joined the
construction team at Euphoria as a surveyor’s
assistant. Once the building of the course had
been completed, he helped with the task of
planting some 40 000 macadamia trees in
Euphoria Orchards. He is now a player’s as-
sistant and the enthusiasm he has shown for
his work has earned him his nomination for a
Moira Olifant Service Excellence Award. He is friendly and
Halfway house assistant – Royal Cape knowledgeable and since the opening of the
Members and visitors to Royal Cape have course he has excelled in making every golfer
often praised the service delivered by Moira feel welcome. He is currently being trained to
who is an invaluable member of the food assist in the pro shop. ■
and beverage team. After attending school in
Graaff-Reinet, she worked for a food bar in
Sea Point. She has worked for Royal Cape for
14 years, receiving on-the-job training, and
 MANAGER OF THE MONTH

Leopard Creek’s Derek Murdoch

Derek Murdoch is in charge of one of South Africa’s most exclusive and beautiful estates. Robin de Kock visited
this estate and discovered that while occupying a position that is the envy of many of his colleagues in the
industry, it is not all beer and skittles for the man at the helm.

Although born in Newcastle, Derek spent most

of his boyhood years in Scotland. Since
his father was an hotelier, it was a natural
progression for him to gravitate towards the
hospitality industry, completing his training
with the Savoy Group in Paris. A love of the
outdoors and of golf drew his attention to an
article in Vogue magazine about the develop-
ing group of Southern Sun hotels in South Af-
rica. He applied for a position with them and,
in 1981, began his long and successful career
in the local hotel industry. With an image of
wildlife, bushveld and beaches in his mind, it
was perhaps a little disconcerting to find that
his first posting was as an assistant manager
in the Burger’s Park Hotel in Pretoria! Many
challenges followed and during the next 17
years he was involved with the group’s flagship
hotels in Durban, Cape Town, Sandton and
elsewhere, including Pine Lake Resort and
Sabi River Sun.  As the man in charge of Leopard Creek, Derek Murdoch may be the envy of many in the industry,
This link between hospitality and golf was but his job entails a lot more than some might think.
a natural entrée for him into the fast-growing
golf estate industry and, in 1998, he was
offered the opportunity by Johann Rupert ted with running a club, I find myself having playing most of their golf at Leopard Creek
of managing the relatively new Leopard to check that the most mundane tasks have rather than their previous home courses
Creek. Now, some 10 years later, he finds been done – so if a maid has forgotten to put elsewhere. This has resulted in the week-
himself as the managing director of one of toilet rolls in someone’s toilet, for example, or end fields now being more or less full. This
our most prestigious and beautiful if their stock of Johnnie Walker is a bit low, I should, of course, mean that during the week
developments in the country.   have to explain why,” says Derek. “But I must he could relax a little, but there is always
To refer to Leopard Creek as a golf estate is say that dealing with our residents and their some small matter to attend to, like setting
an understatement: with some 10 departmen- guests, mostly captains of commerce and in- a crocodile or leopard trap or seeing that the
tal heads reporting to him, Derek’s function dustry, is a pleasure – they come here to relax flagpole bent by a giraffe is replaced! In an
is rather like that of an executive mayor of and have fun on the course, and our team is idle moment he can also check on Johann
a small, but affluent, town! Apart from his happy to ensure that their high expectations Rupert’s wonderful collection of over 2 000
obvious role in maintaining the standards of service are met.” hickory-shafted clubs and specially made
expected at the golf club and course, which Since the fire that destroyed the Malelane gutta-percha balls that are used once a year
hosts some 17 000 rounds per year, his days Sun, Derek has negotiated with various or so by the members in a nostalgic celebra-
are spent ensuring that the residents are other establishments with regards to offering tion of all that is good in life – golf, the Afri-
looked after in every possible way. Garden Leopard Creek’s facilities to their clients. It can bushveld and service with a capital ‘S’.
maintenance, domestic help, including a but- is not unusual for some of the visitors to the The casual perusal of Vogue certainly
ler service and private catering at members’ exclusive game lodges bordering the Kruger changed Derek’s life, and the golf industry
homes as well as in the estate’s delightful Park to embark on an early-morning game has benefitted. He has played an important
entertainment centre are all part of the job. drive, break the trip with a round of golf, role in raising the standards to which other
So too is the all-important aspect of look- then return to base on a night drive.  estates aspire, and if others in the industry
ing after and hosting visitors and members’ Derek has seen many changes to the believe that this is a cushy job where budg-
guests for what is always an unforgettable day estate during his time, the latest of which is ets are unlimited, Derek might tell
of golf. “Apart from the normal duties associa- that more and more of the homeowners are them otherwise. ■

Golf Club Management December 2008 21

TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT
Water, water everywhere
Rick Wakefield explains the basic fundamentals of managing the lifeblood of a golf course –
the irrigation system.
Before establishing a turf project, water
requirements should be weighed up against
the available supply of suitable water. A
water test (to check total salt content,
mineral content, etc) is initially advised to
check suitability for your turf type and soil.
For example, cynodon dactylon (common
couch or bermuda grass) is highly tolerant,
while Kentucky bluegrass (poa pretensis) is
very sensitive to water quality. Particularly if
treated sewage or ‘grey’ water is used, bear in
mind that the quality of this water can vary
from day to day, and a careful watch should
be kept on the content of this resource. An
effective filtration system through natural
wetlands will help purify and reduce solids
suspended in the water and improve the
chemical composition.
Borehole capacity, reservoir size, second-
ary pump requirements, mainline size and
maintenance time will obviously all affect
your irrigation output. A reliable source of
power has become a real challenge in some
regions and an emergency back-up system
may save the course one day! Estimate your
22 December 2008 Golf Club Management
total maximum water requirements during
hot, dry weather. One millimetre of irrigation
over one-square-metre of turf will need one
litre of water. Thus 5mm per day over one
hectare of ground (a safe average for your
greens and teeing areas) will need 50 000
litres of water (ie 50 cubic metres), but con-
siderably more on the more modern courses.
Greens have an understandably high water
demand, especially in the summer, in order
to compensate for dry spells before the onset
of rain. In hotter regions, cynodons generally
should be irrigated for up to 30 minutes per
day. Your cool-season grasses will need up to
four light applications per day. Fairways may
require two or more applications per week.
Turfgrass watering systems can be com-
pletely manual (using a hosepipe or watering
can) or fully automated (involving computer-
ised ‘pop-up’ sprinklers). Most golf courses
are somewhere between these extremes. The
time and labour needed to run a manual
system over a large area leaves this option
unfeasible. A computerised system, on the
other hand, needs a very high initial capital
input and well-trained management, along
with reliable spares, power and water sup-
plies. A common system involves boreholes
pumping most of the day into reservoirs,
from where a secondary pump will supply the
irrigation requirements during relevant hours.
Greens should be irrigated early in the morn-
ing. Evening or night irrigation promotes
fungal disease due to prolonged dampness.
Fairways can be watered at any other time to
fit in with your irrigation capacity and traffic
on the course. Irrigation is ideally limited
to the cooler hours of the day or at night,
as evaporation and wind problems usually
increase towards midday. Water pressure and
sprinkler spacing are very important factors.
Test the uniformity occasionally by randomly
placing open tins over the green to catch
water. Application rates should not exceed
infiltration rates – this is a potentially greater
problem on finer soils.
Your sprinkler system around the greens
should be given priority. Four pop-ups will
usually cover a medium-sized green (Hunter
I31s are simple but reliable). These should
 TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT

be set sufficiently low in the ground to avoid
damage from mowers, etc when not in use,
and connected to the mainline with a ring
line (usually PVC) around the green to in-
crease pressure. Each green should have an
independent, leak-proof valve, away from the
fairway. A piece of thick PVC pipe set around
the pop-up unit, and preferably at a depth
below the connection, with the upper rim set
at least 10mm above the pop-up (when not
in use), but below the cutting level of the
turf, will help keep the sprinkler clean, safe
and functioning. Grit in the moving ‘works’
will otherwise eventually render the sprinkler
beyond repair or guarantee. A routine clean-
ing and maintenance programme is essential.
Establish how many greens your system
can supplement at a time, considering the
pressure and volume needed. Obviously it is
beneficial to run greens off different main-
lines simultaneously (if practical) to increase
pressure. A well-synchronised system of
opening new valves as others are closed to
apply the required amount of water will need
good planning. Not enough open sprinklers
can cause blow-outs on the mainline while
too many sprinklers with insufficient pressure
will give a very uneven, erratic application
of water.
Correctly sized and set nozzles are also
essential to avoid droplets that are either too
heavy or too fine. Heavy droplets will affect
your putting surface and give uneven distri-
bution. Very fine droplets in the form of mist
are likely to give poor distribution, or may
not even land on the green area. The initial
placement of sprinklers should aim to attain
a correct reach with an even distribution.
Avoid placing sprinklers immediately in front
of the green but rather on each side so as
to minimise inconvenience to players. Some
sprinklers are designed to apply only a partial
arc, thus avoiding wastage of water. Every
green will need individual settings for an
ideal application. If part of the arc is apply-
ing water to unused or ‘rough’ areas behind
the green it can be adjusted to cover only the
green turf, thus being more economical in
terms of water, time and electricity during dry
months. Some bunkers should not be flooded
due to drainage problems, while others need
water to settle and firm the sand. Ensure the
green itself has a sufficient drainage system
(be it surface or underground) to avoid pud-
dles after irrigation. Too many greens are
irrigated without sufficient consideration to
these managerial factors.
Where the budget does not facilitate pop-
ups on the fairway, a good option is quick-
release risers, easily fitted to water points
along the fairway. Whatever the system, it
is very beneficial to be able to apply extra
water to selected areas if necessary, rather
than having to water large areas to rectify a
relatively small ‘dry spot’. The most critical
area for regular irrigation, after greens and
tee-boxes, is the ‘greens surrounds’.
In conclusion, a regular maintenance
programme and cleaning of sprinklers and
reservoirs is recommended. Seek profes-
sional advice when planning to establish or
change an irrigation system as your static
head, pipe size and pressure are just some
of the factors which could seriously dimin-
ish the efficiency of the system if incorrectly
planned. Thereafter, ensure careful monitor-
ing of various situations in order to react
appropriately. ■

WORTH GROWING GRASS FOR

World renowned brands, unparalleled grounds care expertise and
nationwide dealer support. Wherever you need to cut grass, we’ll help
you maintain a course to be proud of, keeping customers coming back
– today, tomorrow and for generations to come.

Exclusively distributed, serviced and supplied by

Durban 031 705 3390
Johannesburg 011 922 2000
Cape Town 021 380 2600
Port Elizabeth 041 484 6240

www.cse.co.za

Tindrum 8/006
 Monthly
Membership Payment
for Golf Clubs
Orbit Golf together with Nedbank Corporate have set up a
Membership Payment facility to allow Golf Club Members the
option of paying their annual membership fees over 12 months.

The benefits of this are:

❖ Better cash flow for the club
❖ Simplified collection of membership fees
❖ Help improve your members cash flow
❖ Attraction of new golfers who are not currently members
❖ Retention of more members
❖ Reduction in the administration & debt collection costs
❖ Financed amounts can include:
■ Initial club joining fees
■ Golf Estate levies
■ Green Fees - should the golf club decide to sell them on an
annual basis

Should you not wish to use the Nedbank financed

facility, Orbit Golf can still collect and administer
your monthly membership fees.

For more information:

Log onto www.OrbitGolf.co.za
or contact Graham McComb on
071 600 8800
or e-mail Graham@OrbitGolf.co.za

Central Gauteng Golf Union
Keeping abreast of a changing game
The South African Golf Association and the different provincial unions have been accused of generally maintain-
ing too low a profile. Many club mangers and members of committees have queried the value of these ‘govern-
ing’ bodies, and apart from collecting affiliation fees, these clubs hear very little from them. It would seem that
the Gauteng Union is determined to change these perceptions, and generally get their act together.
The Central Gauteng Golf Union, the most pow-
erful among the governing bodies, has taken
a bold step to evaluate its current standing in
the regional golf community. Realising that
a change of its image was necessary, it was
decided to conduct an independent review
of its total operation, including its strategies
and goals. This is believed to be the first
time that any study of this magnitude has
ever been undertaken by any golf union. Mr
Kevin du Preez, president of the CGGU and
the other office-bearers, Mr Errol Mills, vice
president, and Mr Marinus Weiss, director
of golf, believe that the position of amateur
golf is changing and that the union has a
responsibility to keep ahead of this change.
The office-bearers and executive of the union
have been working hard on this process over
the past number of months which ultimately
led up to a strategic planning workshop held
over a weekend in October. Ian Leach, gen-
eral manager of the newly-opened Euphoria
and golf consultant, was approached to
facilitate a workshop in order for the office-
bearers to formulate a plan of action.
During the planning process prior to the
workshop, seven key focus areas were identi-
fied by the union executive. These were:
■ governance
■ talent management
■ event management
■ profile management
■ development
■ transformation
■ history
The executive decided to take a high-profile
approach to the study fully realising that this
would place pressure on them to implement
positive change resulting from the research.
The brief given to the facilitator was to im-
plement a six-step approach which included:
■ Developing a comprehensive statistical
questionnaire, taking the seven goals into
Office-bearers and executive members of
the CGGU pictured at Euphoria during their
workshop. From the left: Kevin du Plessis
(president), Marinus Weiss (director of
golf), Errol Mills (vice president), Howard
McLaren, Gordon Dreyer (president of the
CGGU Junior Golf Foundation), Peter Hains,
Norman Mashaba (SA Golf Development
Board) and Frank Bukes. Absent was Dick
van Assen, who did attend the workshop.
account. The questionnaire was sent to all
34 clubs in the union for completion.
■ Conducting interviews with member club
captains, presidents and club managers
in small groups.
■ Conducting individual interviews with
each of the 10 union executives.
■ Compiling all of the information received
from the survey into a statistical report for
consideration by the executive.
■ Facilitating the two-day workshop
taking all of the information received
into account.
■ Producing a report covering all the
decisions reached for the executive
to implement.
The outcome of the study has exceeded the
expectations of the office-bearers who, to-
gether with the executive members, are fully
committed to implementing all the challeng-
es and opportunities identified through the
Golf Club Management
ADMINISTRATION
study. These are far reaching and will impact
strongly on the growth and development of
golf in the region. The executive wants to
bring this to the attention of all clubs and
unions in the country through media cover-
age and through personal interaction. They
firmly believe that by doing so amateur golf
in the country will benefit as a whole.
Some of the more significant outcomes of
the study include:
■ The need to communicate more effectively
with all member clubs.
■ The responsibility to proactively manage
the status of amateur golf.
■ The need to uphold the standards,
traditions and etiquette of golf.
■ Ensuring compliance with the rules of
golf along with handicap management
controls.
■ To implement an effective golf
development strategy.
■ To market and grow the game of golf.
■ To help member clubs with transformation
strategies.
The CGGU hopes to have all of the general
strategies published as it makes progress with
the finalisation and implementation of these
strategies, so look out for more information in
GCM over the coming months. ■
■ For more info contact:
Marinus Weiss – director of golf, Central
Gauteng Golf Union
Phone: 011 485 4251
Cell: 082 559 6119
E-mail: director@cggu.co.za
December 2008 25
Over 150 Courses Can’t Be Wrong

For a live demo visiti www.eluminaiberica.com

or contact carrie@elumina.co.za
or telephone Carrie Teale 0829093118

Course design and construction
For the past two decades, Golf Data has been at the forefront of course design, construction and maintenance
in South Africa. GCM looks at this ‘one-stop shop’ of the golf course business.
Golf Data was formed 20 years ago by Robbie
Marshall and Mark Muller, and from a relative-
ly small outfit has grown into a company that
has remodelled the South African golfing land-
scape. After Muller parted ways with Marshall
to pursue his own independent enterprise
within the industry, Marshall expanded the
company which is best known for undertaking
the work for Jack Nicklaus’ projects in South
Africa, which include the completed Simola,
Pecanwood, Pearly Valley and St Francis Links
(a co-design between Nicklaus and Golf Data).
Two more courses are in the advanced stages
of construction – Serengeti Golf and Wildlife
Estate and Houghton Estate. More Nicklaus
signature courses are in the planning stages;
Jubilee Links in Jeffreys Bay and Meletsi in
the Waterberg. But there is a lot more to Golf
Data than simply being a design and construc-
tion arm for the Nicklaus Group in Southern
Africa. The company has undertaken several
re-designs and renovations of existing courses
and has consistently performed beyond ex-
Golf Data’s work with Jack Nicklaus at Simola is simply breathtaking.
pectations. The secret of its success is largely
due to the passion for what it does – and the
company can pride itself in attracting and
keeping a talented and motivated group of
individuals that give nothing less than 100
percent. “I can’t be more adamant about the
fact that Golf Data, more than anything, is a
people company,” says Marshall.
The company can list among its various
functions:
■ Advisory services and development
facilitation
■ Investment syndication
■ Development investment
■ Comprehensive course design, redesign
and consulting
■ Course construction, renovation and
restoration
■ Course, commercial and estate
landscaping
■ Course irrigation
■ Course and estate maintenance
Golf Club Management
GOLF DATA – PROFILE
COMPANY PROFILE
Besides the Nicklaus signature courses,
Golf Data constructed both Ernie Els
courses, Oubaai and Gardener Ross, and
has revamped a list of courses including
Country Club Johannesburg (Woodmead
course, and is in the process of upgrad-
ing the Woodlands course as well),
Killarney, Randpark, Leopard Creek,
ERPM, Orkney, Sabi River Bungalows
and Wedgewood Golf and Country Estate.
Soon to be completed is the highly an-
ticipated modernisation of Glendower.
It must be said that the company’s
reputation has been built on the high-
est quality of work. Golf Data has
been awarded numerous maintenance
contracts, and at each of these courses
it is clear that the company has refused
to compromise the standards for which it
is known.
December 2008 27
GOLF DATA – PROFILE

SEAN QUINN
Sean Quinn is the son of golf professional Kevin, and
during a relatively short space of time he has become
a highly regarded course designer. His background in
course construction has been critical to his success,
and he can never be accused (like some architects) of
coming up with wonderful ideas that are almost impos-
sible to implement. His work plainly suggests that he
has a deep understanding of the game and a keen eye
for what constitutes sound course architecture.
After joining Golf Data in 1992, Quinn worked as
the construction superintendent on various projects in
the Cape and the Highveld. He was involved with the
Simola project since the beginning, and then moved
to Pecanwood as the unofficial design coordinator for
Nicklaus Design’s Greg Letsche. He also played an
important role in the construction of Sparrebosch (later
Pezula) and Pearl Valley.
When Letsche left Nicklaus Design to join Ernie Els,
Quinn was elevated to the position of design associate
for Jack Nicklaus in Southern Africa – a resounding
vote of confidence from the great man and just reward
Sean Quinn and Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus has given Quinn’s work a big vote for the excellent work he has done. Sean lives in Kny-
of confidence. sna with his wife and two children.

The company can have more than 300
employees involved in various projects at
any given time, but the key individuals
that make up the Golf Data team are:
■ Robbie Marshall: chairman
■ Bernhard Mostert: CEO
■ Roger Seymour: financial director
■ Buks Zeeman: director, engineering
services
■ Sean Quinn: design principle
■ Gary Waage: director, construction
■ Matthew Johnstone: director, maintenance
■ Geoff Hindle: director of development
■ Mark Hair: MD, maintenance,
Western Cape ■

St Francis Links, a true links experience, will thrill the purist.

28 December 2008 Golf Club Management


Revamp for historic
Eshowe Hills
Eshowe Hills Eco-Estate recently an-
nounced a multi-million-rand upgrade
of their 18-hole Bob Grimsdell-designed
golf course. The revamp will be undertak-
en by old Natal boy and former European
Masters champion, Jeff Hawkes.
Work started on 1 November and the
front nine is due to be completed by
March 2009. The upgrade will involve a
modernisation of the layout, reshaping
some of the fairways, all the greens and
the construction of new and enlarged
teeing areas.
Hawkes (left),
who is back in
South Africa after
spending 14 years
in the UK, is up-
beat about his first
full design venture
in South Africa. “I
cannot believe what a wonderful oppor-
tunity this is,” he said. “Bob Grimsdell
was not only a prolific designer, but also
an amazingly talented one and I feel
honoured to have been given the chance
to modernise this delightful golf course”.
“The difficulty will lie in deciding
what not to change, since everyone
involved in the project has agreed that
we cannot afford to lose the ‘feel’ of the
course,” says Hawkes. “Too many cours-
es are altered or designed from scratch,
with the aim of becoming so-called
championship courses, although very few
of them will ever host a championship,
and they simply become too tough for
the average golfer to enjoy.”
The aim at Eshowe Hills is to provide
a golf course that can be kept in im-
maculate condition year-round and will
provide golfers with a challenge and
an enjoyable round of golf. The course,
which recently celebrated its centenary,
also boasts a magnificent old clubhouse,
a tree-top boardwalk and both squash
and tennis courts. Its elevation of almost
500m above sea level means that it is
cooler than the KZN coastal areas and
it should also benefit from the recent
announcement that Dubai-based Ruwaad
Holdings is planning a R44-billion devel-
opment along the Zululand coast.
Master status for
PGA’s ‘big five’
The Professional Golfers Association has award-
ed five of their long-standing members Master
Professional status. The recipients are: Dale
Hayes, Denis Hutchinson, Gavan Levenson,
Cobie Legrange and Dennis Bruyns.
The association has for the first time in-
troduced Accreditation of Prior Achievement
and Learning, which will classify every full
member. Time spent in the profession, com-
mitment to and participation in the Continu-
ous Development Programme is considered,
as well as the member’s contribution to the
game through their playing career, their
teaching credentials and contributions to the
game through media or other fields.
Every qualified PGA professional is given
‘A’ status on completion of their apprentice-
ships, and after serving for three years they
become eligible for ‘AA’ status. The first of
the advanced qualifications is ‘AAA’ clas-
sification, which is reserved for members that
have been in the profession for more than five
years and who have completed other criteria
such as attending various seminars, have a
noteworthy playing record and have been rec-
ognised by the golf industry and their peers
for their high level of knowledge and skill.
The higher categories continue through the
Gavan Dennis Cobie Denis Dale
Levenson Bruyns Legrange Hutchinson Hayes
Updating our mailing list
We endeavour to get a copy of GCM to eve-
ryone involved in golf club management.
Every club manager, course superintend-
ent, director of golf, club professional, club
captain and chairman of greens commit-
tees should receive a copy of this publi-
cation, so if you know of someone who
is not on our mailing list, please forward
their details to bogeyfree@mweb.co.za.
Golf Club Management
BIRDIES & BOGEYS
‘Fellow Professional’, the ‘Advanced Fellow
Professional’ and finally the highest classifica-
tion, ‘Master Professional’. “Only exceptional
individuals are awarded the ‘Master’ classifica-
tion,” says PGA spokesman Duncan Cruick-
shank. “This is the very pinnacle of the PGA’s
pyramid, and factors such as leadership quali-
ties and special contributions to the PGA and
the game of golf is taken into consideration.”
Each member is required to self-motivate
their classification, with supporting docu-
mentation from peers and employers as well
as club members and colleagues. A com-
mittee made up of board members will then
make the final decision regarding classifica-
tion. This is an ongoing process that will be
reassessed every two years.
“The idea is to motivate each member of
the PGA to continue to improve and keep
abreast of developments within the golf indus-
try so as to be able to deliver the highest levels
of skills, knowledge and service at all times,”
says Cruickshank. No-one can argue that the
first five recipients of ‘Master’ status do not
deserve this accolade from their association.
Each has made a considerable contribution to
game, and continue to be role models for the
new generation of club professionals.
The Grand Slam – a must read
The latest offering from author Mark
Frost The Grand Slam is definitely worth
reading. Frost, who wrote The Greatest
Game Ever Played, which was adapted
for film, chronicles the life of Bobby
Jones, the greatest amateur golfer of all
time. This entertaining biography is a
must for every student of the game, and
traces Jones’ astonishing career.
December 2008 29

How difficult can this job be?
Club managers, directors of golf and committee members are invited to blow off a little steam – our first
contribution is from Peter Miller, the man who runs Cotswold Downs.
When John Botha recently suggested that I
should write something for GCM, I reluctantly
agreed, but then realised that I was actually ter-
rified with the idea of making a contribution to
Golf Club Management. This is, after all, a very
serious publication! It’s all about disaster man-
agement, fraud risk, negligence, stressful times
and earthworm farming! Now that’s serious!
Recently GCM told us that “service is
everything,” and followed by asking, “Are
your pregnant employees safe?” Then came
“employees’ protection” – perhaps an after-
thought. Was it a little late?
With complete respect to the authors of
the above and the fact that the golf industry
is indeed a very serious business (contribut-
ing vast amounts of money to the economy
and creating thousands of jobs), golfers are
constantly looking for new courses – longer
and more impossible to play, and golf course
designers are enthusiastically responding.
The golf business is hard work (although
New man at the head of SA amateur golf
The new president of the SAGA promises to be more than a mere figurehead, and it is clear that he is taking his
job as the man in charge of the amateur game rather seriously.
Enver Hassen is an astute and articulate man
who clearly feels strongly about the role that
golf’s governing body needs to play in the
promotion of the game. “Two years is not that
long a time period, but hopefully I can play a
meaningful role in the association achieving
its goals in the foreseeable future,” he says.
Hassen takes over from Neale Kunhardt,
having paid his dues in administration of
not only golf, but also of cricket. Coming
from Standerton in Mpumalanga, golf was
certainly not an option for the young Hassen,
but it was only after he had moved to Cape
Town and his cricketing career had come to
an end that he took up the game. Having
gained the experience of serving on commit-
tees administering the cricket union, he was
well qualified to become involved with golf’s
governing bodies, and after an extended spell
on the Western Province Union’s commit-
your committee may argue to the contrary)
and, for the most part, it’s all about long
hours and doing all the good stuff that we
read about in GCM. And let us not forget
that we are paid to do a job that is the
envy of every golfer. Many believe that we
do nothing but play golf all day. Many also
believe that the purchase of a second-hand
Pro V1 ball gives him or her the knowledge
to be a greenkeeper, restaurateur, golf direc-
tor/professional or GM of the club he or she
visits for the first time. Listen closely and
you may be lucky enough to get free advice
on caddie training, bunker maintenance,
outsourcing, turfgrass selection and, if you
are really fortunate, how to bake the perfect
pie at your halfway house. None of the sug-
gestions should be ignored as they are given
with authority from someone who has spent
an hour or two searching for golf’s Holy Grail
at the bottom of the used ball bin.
Strangely, the same golfer, who is now
The new SAGA
president Enver
Hassen is deter-
mined to change
the image of
the SAGA.
tee, he accepted the role of president. “As
vice-president during Brian Lefson’s tenure,
I asked him to stay on for another term so I
could gain more experience,” he says.
It must be said that the Western Province
Union has made great strides in creating
a meaningful development programme,
something Hassen is determined to expand
throughout the nation. “We obviously need
government to buy into what we are trying to
achieve, and I see my role as one of being a
Golf Club Management
THE LAST WORD
qualified in all of the above disciplines, has
the inane ability to conjure up questions that
can only be answered by Nostradamus, for
example: “I will be in Cape Town on Friday
and playing at Arabella. They tell me the
course is quite difficult and the greens are
quite fast. What is the secret to scoring well
here, and do think it will rain there?” These
questions should be easy for you to answer
even if you are in Johannesburg and it hap-
pens to be Tuesday. Then there is the chap
who always seems to pitch up at the charity
golf day: “I am taking the place of a golfer
that was meant to play here today, I don’t
know his name, but can you tell me what
time he was supposed to tee off?”
So there you are! Forget about setting
standards, discrimination in the work place,
financial management theory or preparing
for spring treatments – just get yourself an
NGN handicap card and acquire all the skills
needed by a golf club manager overnight! ■
facilitator in this regard,” he says.
It has long been recognised that the game
needs more facilities, be they mashie or
nine-hole courses, where new golfers can be
introduced to the game. Hassen hopes to see
these easily accessible facilities initially
being introduced in the major centres.
In the past, a criticism of golf administra-
tors has been that the gentlemen in the green
jackets have kept a rather low profile, and very
little change has been seen in the way the
amateur bodies operate. Enver Hassen seems
determined to change the image of SAGA,
and the man who admits to being a bit of a
radical is not afraid to ruffle a few feathers.
Development, the ever-problematic handicap-
ping system and the general promotion of golf
is just some of the areas that will need atten-
tion, and we wish the new president the best
of luck in his endeavours. ■
December 2008 31