February 2018 Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club See page 4 - 5 The Traveling Show by Michael Scholz – The 40-Year-Old Rookie THE first time I ever broke 40 for teaching it! He was going to 9-holes was at the tender age of pursue a career as a coach. 13 on the front-9 at the Wanderers He read anything and Golf Club. everything he could find relating to the golf swing I remember my pulse racing and the game, even the mental and psychological as I stood over the 6-foot putt aspects. He studied hard and went on to grow to shoot 39. Palms clammy and the Jamie Gough Golf School just outside of Cape apprehension tore through my Town into a well-respected place of practice veins. I pushed the putt slightly but and learning for many amateur and professional the ball rolled gently to the right golfers. edge of the hole and dropped in. At this point, Jamie started to realise that there I ran into the pro shop desperate was a need to follow and support his clients at to share my news with whomever their respective tournament sites and that’s when would listen. the magic began. I turned the corner inside the shop Armed with a handful of budding professional and there was Jamie Gough who golfers such as Anton Haig, James Kingston and was serving his PGA apprenticeship Charl Schwartzel, Jamie started to carve and under the mentorship of Graham shape his wonderful career as a “touring coach” Henning. I barely knew Jamie and had spoken to him all but a few times whilst paying my greenfees before heading out onto those sacred Wanderers fairways, but he was always kind, positive and supportive, especially to the juniors at the club. Super-proud, I boasted of my incredible feat. Jamie’s face lit up and he was almost equally excited with my news. He listened attentively as I spoke him through every highlight of those 9-holes. All that was missing now was a trophy … and Jamie provided me with one. He reached for the shelf behind him and grabbed a sleeve of Dunlop golf balls. They were like gold to a kid my age and something to treasure, not play with. Out of his own pocket, he paid for those balls, and I treasure that moment as one of the highlights of my many years of playing the game of golf. What a great moment that was and what a great man he is! Jamie was also a very capable playing professional who’d often competed on the local Sunshine Tour, although the silverware escaped his grasp in his time competing on the “tour”. After a stint attempting to play some competitive golf in the States, Jamie decided to change his focus away from playing the game, to 2 in 2007. Sterne, Brett Rumford, He managed to gather up a number of coaching Haydn Porteous, George awards at this stage and became recognised as one Coetzee and now Hao of South Africa’s finest coaches and the world stage Tong Li, the lifestyle that was looming. Jamie has adopted is Through his thousands of lessons over a couple of manic. decades, Jamie was able to offer and contractually Traveling for around deliver his services as “coach” to a handful of “lads” 32 weeks a year and that were talented, ambitious and with one most visiting around 20 common trait … discipline. countries sees Jamie If you lacked in this department in the slightest, on first name basis you were not going to secure the services of Jamie with the staff at many as your coach, and since that time, many top players of the airport lounges have been “relieved” of contracts because of “poor and his air-miles are work ethic” or lack of discipline. comparable with most If he was giving you his time, the arrangement airline pilots. needs to be reciprocal! Full-stop and no exceptions! Events like the Ryder Having now worked with some of the greatest Cup in 2016 sit proudly names in modern golf, namely Miguel-Angel on his portfolio where Jiminez, Jose-Maria Olazabal, Andy Sullivan, Anders he was involved with the Hansen, Thomas Bjorn, Greg Havret, Michael Hoey, European Team as coach to Andy Sullivan, as well as lifestyle of sunny South Africa, Jamie prides himself David Howell, Bradley Dredge, Alex Noren, Richard a pillar of support to the other team members. in exceptional professionalism in the job he has of He avoids “spreading himself thin” and ensures helping professional golfers achieve their dreams. that he offers his lads “quality time” whilst under But with passion and a great love for the game, his watch, so he limits his coaching portfolio to a Jamie could think of nothing finer career. How cool handful of pros. is that????? At the moment his stable of golfers include Well done on your journey thus far Jamie and we Brandon Stone, Hao Tong Li, Andy Sullivan, Soo Min watch with great anticipation to see the silverware Lee, David Drysdale and Justin Walters. Already piling up in the cabinets of the extraordinary talent the results with these great talents are starting to that you expose from your squad. shine through with Hao Tong Li recently winning If you are interested in pursuing a career in golf, the Dubai Desert Classic and some great finishes by I would suggest contacting the PGA of South Africa the others. and enquiring about the many opportunities that a Having recently been awarded the John Jacobs PGA diploma can create, be it from coaching golfers Award (highest coaching accolade by the PGA’s of any level to becoming a tech junkie versed in the of Europe) for the best coach in Europe, Jamie’s awesome technology available in the industry. name is now emblazoned in the trophy alongside For more details, visit: www.pga.co.za n other coaching greats Mike Bannon (coach to Rory * All photos courtesy of Jamie Gough. McIlroy), Salvador Luna (coach to Sergio Garcia) For feedback, slander, opinions, stories and anything and a number of significant others. golf that you wish to share, stalk me on Facebook A glamorous lifestyle it is not! Living out of (Michael Scholz), Twitter (@TrickShotGolfer), suitcases and hotel rooms in exotic countries where Instagram (40yearoldrookie) or via my email, cultures differ considerably for the braai-vleis [email protected] 3 CLUB SELECTION WITH THE 40 YEAR-OLD ROOKIE This month, we start a new feature going forward whereby we profile some of South Africa’s leading golf clubs and facilities. This column will look at everything from the courses, clubhouses, catering, interesting stories and the teams that create the experiences that make golf in South Africa so great. #The Royal Experience – Royal Affair by Michael Scholz – The 40 Year-Old Rookie “In my 63 years of travelling the world and during this time visiting Clubs almost everywhere, seldom have I met anyone as professional as you and your team at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club. You always seem to go out of your way to welcome everyone and look after your guests in a simple and elegant fashion. I congratulate everyone on all the improvements you have made and continue to undertake". Mr. Gary Player STEPPING in from the carpark onto the tree-shaded tunnel THE PRO SHOP 10-years, Jayde has stamped his name as one of the best in that falls gently down towards the heart of golf in Joburg, the industry and he continues to grow his portfolio and his you can’t help but reminisce and cast memory back to the The on-course pro shop, owned and managed by PGA growing professional reputation. days when some of South Africa’s greatest golfers duelled professional Greg Jacobs, stocks all of the latest, funkiest and Driven and inspired to constantly improve the experience for historic silverware around the two fantastic masterpieces trendy brand names of golfing equipment and attire available at Royal, Jayde says “If we do the same thing tomorrow as at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club - The West in the market. we’ve done today, we’re going backwards. We heed the call Course was designed in 1909 by Laurie Waters and the East His own friendly team receive you warmly and are always of today’s requirements and work hard to achieve satisfaction Championship Course, designed in 1939 by Robert Grimsdell. attentive to your every need whether it be to enquire about in this area”. The names of the Grand Masters are neatly paved into the the latest driver technology to purchasing a simple packet of walkway with bursts of information that etched their golfing tees. feats in South African golfing history. CLUBHOUSE The clubhouse has gone through a series of planned upgrades as part of their “Master Plan” and it’s obvious that every possible hospitality requirement has been considered and accommodated. Featuring a modern, yet classic layout, which include traditionally decorated bar (which “pumps” on a Friday night), a quiet reading lounge, an attractive and spacious covered patio, a number of state-of-the-art conference and function rooms and a restaurant-standard “halfway-house”, the club has established itself not only as an ideal corporate golf day mecca, but has also become a desirable option for parties, weddings and corporate functions. Denis Hutchinson (a proud and long-standing member THE GOLF EXPERIENCE and ambassador for both the club and the game itself) leads the parade, closely followed by 9-time Major winner, Gary Jayde Rademeyer (Operations Director) heads up all of the Player, then others like Charl Schwartzel and many other “experience” and golf related affairs, ensuring that every golfing greats whose triumphs at Royal have helped them aspect relating to the club, golf courses, the golfers, guests on their way to golfing greatness.