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 South Africa, 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 NOMADS 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 Zimbabwe 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 Sunshine Tour, 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.