Captains Corner – July 2021
July was a very cold month at the club. This was the view of the water feature next to the 18th green at about 10 o’clock in the morning and believe it or not I still saw some players wearing shorts on the course. I think their older brothers had the long trousers for that day (lol).
July was also a very sad month in the history of Krugersdorp Golf Club.
Four of our members passed away during the month of July. Leon Van Heerden played his golf at our club and was also our short-term insurance agent. Ron Rutter used to play in the Saturday morning field on a regular basis and was often mocked for the number of times he won the morning competition. Norman Murray played in the afternoon field and was also employed at the club on a contract basis to maintain our carts and also look after general maintenance at the club. Norman and Yvonne, his wife, also ran the halfway house for many years. Often called Uncle Grumpy by other members he was an icon at the club.
And then there was Derek De Smidt, our manager. Derek was at our club for more than thirty years, starting off in the pro shop and eventually running Krugersdorp club as a Golf Manager. Derek dedicated his whole life to our club and was extremely proud of what we have here. Both Derek’s sons play the game in a professional capacity and Darin also runs the deli at the club. Cindy, Derek’s wife, also plays every Saturday afternoon and has served on the ladies committee in various capacities.
Icons in their own right, all of them. Will be sorely missed by everyone. May they rest in peace.
I would like to thank all our members who played over the last weekend and who adhered to the minutes silence on the course when the sirens were activated. Even though I initiated the idea I cannot claim fame for the original idea, it came from a fellow golfer who plays in my fourball, thanks Doug, awesome idea. But if I am still around next year, I would like to introduce it on an annual basis and maybe make every fourth weekend of July the Krugersdorp Golf Club Memorial Golf Day. Another suggestion was that we should also have a memorial wall, great idea. I think we should request the ladies’ section to take on this project. They are normally very good with projects like that.
Leagues:
Thank goodness Uncle Cyril has opened the pubs and the Ladies leagues are starting in August again. The men’s leagues will all be returning during the month of September.
Local Rules:
One of our members has requested me to publish the local rules at our club, so here they are, after consulting with members of the management:
- There is placing in all bunkers if you land in a bunker in a footprint or unraked area. (COVID-19 rule)
- Flagsticks should be left in the hole when putting. (COVID-19 rule)
- One club length placing on fairways, but not closer to the hole.
- Free drop away from upright distance markers if you are not able to remove the marker.
- Free drop from garden between 2nd green and 16th tee.
- A provisional ball may be played if your first ball goes into the water on the 6th hole.
- The 10th fairway is out of bounds when teeing off the 1st tee.
- All roads leading away from the workshop are free drop roads.
- A free drop is allowed from trees marked with blue stakes, electrical control boxes, benches, drinking fountains and roads with artificial surfaces.
I shall place a copy of the rules on the notice boards around the clubhouse and the starters area.
If you disagree with these rules or know of any more, please feel free to address them with me or a committee member.
This weekend, 31st, the Boere will be taking on the Souties again. The Souties had to import a boer or two, but the spirit remains the same. A big thank you must go out to Awie Griesel for sponsoring the meat for our lunch after the game. Thanks buddy really appreciated.
What’s Happening:
So, what’s happening at the club at the moment and how is the committee spending all your well-earned money.
The deck itself is completed and now the finer details are being finalised. Such as the furniture and the play area for the children. We are hoping to open by the middle of August.
The gents and ladies changerooms have been upgraded and the men’s changeroom will soon be fully operational.
All the potholes in the parking lot are being repaired and you should have noticed that all the shade-netting poles have been painted. Also, the boundary walls have been painted and the wall on the course on the Rant en Dal side of the entrance. One of the members mentioned to me the other day that they have not seen the course so busy with renovations and improvements in the last twenty years.
I will keep an eye on the COVID numbers for the next couple of days and then discuss with the committee if we can have a Captain’s Draw at the end of August because there is some lovely money to be won. Let’s hold thumbs.
Happy birthday to all our members who celebrated their birthdays during the month of July.
| Birthday | First Name | Surname | Gender | Number | Age |
| 01.07.1949 | Gavin | Hutchinson | M | 1279 | 72 |
| 01.07.1959 | Kobie | Riley | F | 991518 | 62 |
| 02.07.1948 | Alan | Ingham | M | 990694 | 73 |
| 02.07.1950 | Tony | Parau | M | 991107 | 71 |
| 02.07.1951 | Don | Robertson | M | 357 | 70 |
| 02.07.1953 | David | Jackson | M | 1209 | 68 |
| 03.07.1949 | George | Wentzel | M | 119 | 72 |
| 03.07.1965 | Peet | Reyneke | M | 991883 | 56 |
| 04.07.1926 | Joseph | Warby | M | 812 | 95 |
| 04.07.1987 | Stephen | Swanepoel | M | 991026 | 34 |
| 06.07.1954 | Trevor | Fritz | M | 3209 | 67 |
| 06.07.1968 | Johannes | Muller | M | 990339 | 53 |
| 06.07.1983 | Jano | De Beer | M | 991596 | 38 |
| 07.07.1953 | Peter | Smith | M | 3038 | 68 |
| 09.07.1943 | Lionel | Smith | M | 393 | 78 |
| 10.07.1962 | Willem | Ackerman | M | 1358 | 59 |
| 12.07.1985 | Andries | Joubert | M | 990846 | 36 |
| 13.07.1957 | Sello | Mahlabya | M | 2766 | 64 |
| 14.07.1982 | Jan | Lotz | M | 990784 | 39 |
| 14.07.2007 | Antonio | De Souza | M | 991879 | 14 |
| 15.07.1939 | Cassim | Vawda | M | 990159 | 82 |
| 15.07.1947 | Ivor | Van Bart | M | 990280 | 74 |
| 15.07.1970 | Charles | Venables | M | 2922 | 51 |
| 15.07.1987 | Michael | Downing | M | 990348 | 34 |
| 16.07.1984 | Udo | Mohr | M | 990284 | 37 |
| 17.07.1976 | Tiaan | Du Plooy | M | 991934 | 45 |
| 17.07.2002 | Aldrich | Van De Merwe | M | 991676 | 19 |
| 18.07.1953 | Gert | Olivier | M | 311 | 68 |
| 18.07.1959 | Tom | Gouws | M | 990161 | 62 |
| 18.07.1962 | Henry | Blom | M | 991512 | 59 |
| 18.07.1988 | Arno | Zweep | M | 1195 | 33 |
| 19.07.1961 | Antonie | Meyer | M | 991233 | 60 |
| 19.07.1974 | Belinda | Gouws | F | 990236 | 47 |
| 20.07.1979 | Terick | Schutte | M | 991950 | 42 |
| 20.07.2012 | Hanno | De Beer | M | 991597 | 9 |
| 21.07.1946 | Cornelia | Swanepoel | F | 991827 | 75 |
| 21.07.1969 | Lydia | Kloppers | F | 991886 | 52 |
| 21.07.2007 | Wian | Storm | M | 991906 | 14 |
| 22.07.1957 | Shaun | Carter | M | 146 | 64 |
| 22.07.1977 | Pierre | Jansen Van Vuuren | M | 991227 | 44 |
| 22.07.2005 | Zain | Labuschagne | M | 991649 | 16 |
| 24.07.1975 | Deon | Bredenkamp | M | 787 | 45 |
| 24.07.1975 | Ian | Scott | M | 1133 | 46 |
| 25.07.1959 | Joubert | Strauss | M | 2145 | 62 |
| 25.07.1967 | Adrianus | Opthof | M | 991801 | 54 |
| 25.07.1971 | Pieter | Ferreira | M | 991746 | 50 |
| 26.07.2005 | Aiden | Tarr | M | 991759 | 16 |
| 28.07.1953 | Christopher | Johnston | M | 301062 | 68 |
| 28.07.1962 | Willem | Neale | M | 301086 | 59 |
| 28.07.1977 | Dick | Van Rensburg | M | 991709 | 44 |
| 29.07.1962 | Meryl | Erasmus | F | 991142 | 59 |
| 29.07.1974 | Paul | De Waal | M | 991765 | 47 |
| 29.07.1990 | Vincent | Scott | M | 991876 | 31 |
| 29.07.1998 | Christian | Bischoff | M | 991942 | 23 |
| 29.07.2004 | At | Hattingh | M | 991908 | 17 |
| 30.07.1959 | Ian | Carmichael | M | 1091 | 62 |
| 30.07.1993 | Yogesh | Permaul | M | 991920 | 28 |
Stay safe everyone and hope to see you all at the club sometime. May you have many one putts and keep it straight.
Gregg
Club Captain