Keeping the players and galleries updated with a leaderboard at the Nomads 50th DiData Pro-Am. Anniversary

The Nomads are an institution in South African golf, doing great service for the game, contributing to charities, and having loads of fun at the same time. They celebrate the first 50 years at Randpark in May. By Dan Retief

magine watching a golf ing scores on control sheets; relaying would have no idea of what was going tournament and not know- them to media and television broadcast on but for the role the Nomads play. The Nomads in front of their scoreboard at Country ing the situation. Imagine units or changing the numbers on It is a wonderful service to golf the Club Johannesburg with the gravelly tones of Denis leaderboards around the course. Nomads provide, on a voluntary basis I 2010 Telkom PGA champion Hutchinson on TV saying, In , this service is provid- might add, but to create an impression Michiel Bothma. “Here’s Ernie Els at what looks like the ed by the Nomads; a group of jovial that that is all this organisation, which eighth, we think he’s still two-under golfers who have formed themselves sprang from the unique ethos and fellow- for his round but will let you know … into a club, now represented in virtually ship of golf, does is to trivialise the good although judging by the look on his every region of the country, to enjoy and works of a group whose motto states – face it’s fair to say something might serve the game and society in general. “Through golf, the remembrance of have gone wrong at the seventh…” When briefed to contribute an arti- others” – and whose creed is an extract Of course that’s not the way it cle on the 50th anniversary of the from the meditations of the poet John happens. Normally Hutchy, in classic Nomads, which will be celebrated in Donne (1573-1631), whose words have BBC style, would bring the viewer May, the first thing that sprung to mind often inspired men to think of others: instantly up to date. “Here’s Els on the was the role the association had played eighth, coming off a drop shot at seven. in my career as a golf writer and ‘No man is an island Ernie is one-under and faces a difficult commentator. Without what the entire of itself; every man 180-metre shot with the pin tucked Nomads called the “Golforama” scor- is a piece of the continent, behind the water hazard.” ing system the task would have been a part of the main; How does Hutchy do it? Well not nigh impossible because of the number Any man’s death diminishes through some extrasensory perception. of competitors and the far-flung terrain me because I am involved in Commentators would be lost were on which tournaments take place. mankind. it not for the services of an army of And not only reporters, many of And therefore never send dedicated souls quietly keeping score; whom seldom set foot out of the media to know for whom the bell tolls, whispering into walky-talkies, record- centre, but the galleries and TV viewers, It tolls for thee’.

60 golfdigest.co.za • may 2010 photo credit luke walker may 2010 • golfdigest.co.za 61 50 years

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THE NOMADS NATIONALS Hence the Nomads’ badge is a Every April sees a massive gathering and 1970s, but there were only bell crossed by a golf club and 50 years of Nomads from around Southern between four and six clubs at the of service to golf and society have Africa for the Nationals, a week of time. Now there are 12 local clubs, resulted in more than R25-million competitive golf that reunites golfing and additional entrants from being donated to various projects – friends in a turbo-charged environment and Botswana. of fun-filled festivities off the course. Gauteng, as the original club, has from junior and development golf, local The 2010 tournament at Waterkloof hosted the tournament six times, while charities, to the donation, in their Golf Club in Pretoria will be the 45th the youngest club, Free State, held its name, of some lasting item to a club in a long line of memorable occasions first Nationals in 2008. The venues where they have been hosted. dating back to the first at Kyalami have included some of the country’s In researching this article I sought Country Club in 1966 and hosted by leading courses – Beachwood in a definition of the virtuous mindset to the founding club, the Transvaal Durban has hosted the Nationals three be of service to others and came up (now Gauteng) Nomads. times, their first in 1970 – but now the with what I thought to be one that Those who attend the Nationals are host club is chosen more for the size fits the Nomads well – “an habitual the die-hards of the organisation, the of its clubhouse facilities, and being and firm disposition to do good.” golfers who live for the Nomads and all able to accommodate more than It is a description that would it stands for, because playing spots are 500 people in a room. A giant marquee almost as difficult to acquire as a season used to be erected on the course in have sat well with the man who ticket to the Masters. Only the most the old days, but the expense of that 50 years ago founded an association dedicated Nomads, who never miss a has led to a change in policy. of kindred spirits that has become a monthly game at their home club, fulfill While the Nationals is primarily an South African golf institution – the late the eligibility requirements. And those individual tournament, in various divisions, Michael Florance. He was clearly a man who participate in the Nationals tend there is also a team championship, with of letters and vision for his founding to then return year after year. the different clubs competing for the Bert declaration for the aims and objectives The popularity of the Nationals Hunt Trophy, calculated on the average of the Nomads are as pertinent today is such that the tournament was individual Stableford score of each club as they were in 1960: expanded to include as many as during the week. • To provide an opportunity for 540 competitors as recently as The tournament is opened and persons of all walks of life to meet 2004 (two courses were tried as an closed with a flag ceremony at which experiment, but discontinued after two all the club captains and various one another at least once a month, an enjoyable sundowner. also president of the SAGA), years), but it has been trimmed to a national chairmen raise their local FOUNDING OF THE to play a game of golf and to make more manageable 432 today. However, flags at a formal ceremony to take over Writing this article conjured up so Mick Sugden, Alec Saunders and NOMADS CLUBS new and cement old friendships. many names and friendly faces – the Doug Watson. even that means each golfer only gets ‘ownership’ of the venue for a week, 1960 Gauteng • To encourage, promote, foster legendary Andrew Mentis, whose name Individual Nomads give their to play on four of the six days, as fields and similarly lower them to hand back 1963 Natal and support the game of golf. are restricted to 288 players a day. the course. All of this is done in the is attached to the endowment fund time and services freely and are not 1965 Western Province • To generate funds for distribution That was the size of the original formal blue attire of the organisation. through which funds are disbursed and reimbursed for the costs they incur; 1967 Northerns to charitable causes and assist those Nomads Nationals back in the 1960s – Stuart McLean who at the age of nearly 90 still does an annual commitment that Mike 1969 Zimbabwe (now persons, regardless of race, colour a full day’s work… Arthur Cox, Roel Gahagan, organiser of the forthcoming Mashonaland) or creed, in a less fortunate position Germs, Ian Frew, Brian Burns, Steve 50th anniversary celebrations, 1972 Eastern Cape than ourselves. their role as permissive hosts. to those less fortunate than ourselves.” Sherwood, Pie Bredenkamp, Pat estimates runs to some 2 500 1975 Border His own memoirs, contained in a “A long experience in and enjoyment Noble aims that generation after McGurk, Cyril Ferrar and computer man days a year. 1978 Easterns commemorative brochure, are still of golf left me, in 1959, with a deeply generation have faithfully stuck to. wizard Dave Milton. There was also Dennis Bruyns, former Tournament 1984 Southern Natal, valid. “The very title of this club, the held feeling that there was room in this For me the Nomads have always Ginger Arensberg, a non-golfing Director of the , put it Matabeleland (Zimbabwe) “NOMADS,” is entirely and properly game for some kind of association or been there – whether playing as Donny Nomad who was the starter at into perspective from the point of 1985 Southern Cape descriptive of the manner of our being club for business and professional men Frost’s (David’s dad) guest at Mowbray the Nationals for 31 consecutive view of professional golf. “My father, 1986 Zimbabwe Midlands ... wanderers with no fixed home. to come together in a closely planned while working on The Cape Times, years beginning with the first Denton, was a keen Nomad so I have 1993 Boland “Completely reliant as we then are on and integrated programme of golf, with being grateful for a final score to be tournament in 1966. memories of going to golf days and 1996 Lowveld the hospitality of established golf clubs all games inter-related and offering a posted on the board while under Honorary life members who contrib- prizegivings even before I started 1997 Free State, New Zealand for the very basis of our existence, it is continuing thread of interest, and that pressure to make a Sunday Times uted much to the Nomads cause playing,” he said. “I experienced 1998 Botswana first, foremost, and above all to those out of this activity could arise some deadline, or popping into their 19th include Arthur Ferneyhough, Doug Golforama scoring as an amateur and 2003 Sydney (Australia) clubs that our first thanks are due for tangible benefit to two very proper hole alongside the 18th during the Pechey, Cox, Germs, Joss Hamilton, then as a pro and ended up working 2008 Brisbane (Australia) the courtesy which they extend to us in causes: to the game of golf itself, and Nedbank Challenge at Sun City for Les Floyd, Neale Kunhardt (who was closely with the Nomads on the tour.

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“Looking back so much has changed. In the old days we were like a family, the ladies writing up the score charts in different coloured pens and the men manning the boards. I remember the dinners, the breakfast braais, and the drinks after the round – a Nomads tradition! Junior golfers “With manual labour having given have benefitted from Nomads way to the computer the mood of sponsorships. tournaments is more detached, but the Nomads have moved with the times and there is no doubt that theirs key away because they’re not going ers. is another of them, became an essential service that helped home! Jokes aside, though, the and he gave his name to the Gary us put on world-class tournaments that Nomads are a South African institution Player Knockout trophy which is one put the Sunshine Tour right up there and something we can be very proud of the most important tournaments with the rest of the world.” of,” added Hutch. played at each club around the country. Denis Hutchinson has had a lifelong In fact it would not be unkind to The others are Arthur Ferneyhough association with the Nomads. “I describe the Nomads as a bunch of (WP), Bill Wilson (the first Transvaal actually played in the original tourna- do-gooders who could never be called captain, now a member at Easterns) ments organised by Mike Florance… do-gooders! and Jack Matthews (Southern Natal). but I never got home early enough Founded by 106 members, including The Nomads’ 50th year of existence and got banned from going near Mentis, in Gauteng in 1960 the will be marked by the staging of golf them for 30 years!” he quipped. Nomads have spread to other centres competitions as well as dinners over “I always think of them as a great throughout the country, have a close three days at Randpark on May 21 to 23 bunch of guys having a lot of fun and association with their former fellows with , Hutchinson and spreading goodwill around the world. in Zimbabwe and Botswana, and Dorian Wharton-Hood as keynote They contribute so much to golf, an have, through the efforts of former speakers. It’s appropriate to borrow a immense amount to charity, and a lot to members, branched out to Australia toast from long time sponsors Bell’s, the clubs, because with some of those and New Zealand. raise a glass, and say an extra special boys you might as well throw the There are only five surviving found- “slainte mhath” to the Nomads!

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nomads

FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS... For a golf club that prides itself on not and has never missed a game in 40 years. behind to first play their tee shots. having a home, the Nomads have grown From the beginning the Nomads The days on which the monthly slowly but steadily over the years, to the scoring system was a unique one games are held vary from club to club. extent where there are now 16 clubs in created by Florance. Members play The original clubs in Gauteng played on Southern Africa (three in Zimbabwe and the course flat, and then add their Thursdays (and still do), while those in one in Botswana), and three clubs Down handicap afterwards, a format known the Cape tended to play on Sundays. Under (started by former Nomads who as individual medal Stableford. A highlight of each club’s calendar is emigrated to Australia and New Zealand), Club members have their own the Andrew Mentis day, regarded as a a total of 2 700 members worldwide. Nomads handicaps (separate from substantial fund-raiser. Mentis, a wealthy In the first 20 years after Mike Florance SAGA handicaps) based on scores posted Johannesburg industrialist, philanthropist, founded the Nomads in 1960, only eight in the monthly games. Florance decreed and founder member, in 1968 endowed clubs were established. The first ones took that every Nomad would be handicapped R2 000 a year to cover the cost of running root in the four major cities during the to score 30 points in a monthly game, and such a competition, and the Nomads 1960s, and then spread to smaller regions, handicaps were adjusted to reflect that decided that this money should go to mostly inspired by members who had on what is called “the running six” basis. charity. In 1970 the Transvaal Nomads been transferred to towns where there In other words, the system was based on established what was then thought to be was no Nomads club. a player amassing 180 points over his last a world record field for their Andrew Mentis Monthly games are played by each six rounds. If he totalled 192 he would be day, 334 golfers at the old Kensington club at courses in their region (few golf cut two shots. It makes for a system course in Johannesburg. And the entrance clubs turn down a Nomads outing, where there are no “ringers.” There is a fee was “a whopping” R10 a player! because they drive extra revenue through Nomads tradition where any player The Nomads are big on tradition, catering and the bar), and members are scoring 40 points or more receives a and even today club prizegivings are expected to turn out regularly if they silver tray as a prize, it being regarded formal affairs, with members required wish to preserve their membership. as a significant achievement. to wear a jacket and their Nomads tie. Most clubs therefore limit themselves Interestingly, after six years of A system of fines at every prizegiving has to not more than 200 members, and employing his system, Florance analysed raised countless funds for charity. And have waiting lists. some 3 000 scores taken at random on the course the Nomads are instantly Players receive badges for achievements from Nomads games, and the average recognisable by the colourful uniforms in Nomads, such as the number of games score was 29.97. So his system was they wear, from the red pants of Gauteng played. Doug Milne of Southern Natal extremely accurate. to the pink shirts of Southern Cape. (previously with the Gauteng and Natal With full fields, pace of play has always Nomads have been a long-standing clubs), recently became the first to play been important in Nomads games. The contributor to junior golf in South Africa. 550 games. This represents 46 years of fact that players have to “pick up” if they They currently sponsor the SA Junior monthly club games, because it does not can’t score better than a bogey on a hole Golf Foundation’s Interprovincial each include games played at the Nationals. helps speed things up, as does a unique December and the SA Girls Championship Six other members have received their Nomads rule where a fourball on a par-3 in April. Money raised during the year also 450-game badges, including Gauteng’s will stand aside when all their balls are on goes towards helping with operational Ken Blake who joined Nomads in June 1970 the green, before putting, to allow those costs in all regions.– SM

66 golfdigest.co.za • may 2010 photo credit