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Professional golfers in town for the Joburg
Open led a coaching clinic for young amateurs in Alex before the tournament
teed off.
PABALLO MODISE is an unusual township youngster;
he is indifferent about playing soccer or any other sport that is regarded as
popular in the townships, where his roots are firmly set.
Some of the participants in the golf coaching clinic, with Joburg's executive mayor Amos Masondo and City manager Mavela Dlamini (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
He is enrolled for a golf apprenticeship where
he is learning the intricacies of the sport, including teaching, coaching,
maintaining the green and golf management, a far cry from what many township
youngsters are doing.
Modise's dream of playing professionally on
the international circuit came a step closer to reality when he was selected to
join a score of golf amateurs from Alexandra for a coaching clinic on Tuesday,
12 January, conducted by some of the world's best golfers. The teachers are in
town to play in the 2010 Joburg Open golf tournament, which tees off on
Thursday, 14 January.
Under a clear Joburg sky, with the sun
shining down on the Alexandra Driving Range - perfect weather for a day on the
green - Modise swapped his Joburg Open cap for his Nike one and then pivoted,
followed by a backswing, before striking the ball hard; he watched as it flew
some 200 metres down the range.
The strike was "very good", his coach Ross
Wellington said, before turning to the others. "It is not always about getting
it right; it is about enjoying the game," he emphasised.
Modise and the other youngsters were
divided into groups of at least six, with each group assigned to different
professionals, including Wellington, Richard Finch, Joakin Haeggman, Justin
Walters, Barry Lane and Darren Clark.
His downswing and strike was always
accurate and his follow-through was enviable. He said he was not born with his
skill with the golf club - he had had to practise hard to ensure accuracy. "I actually
started playing cricket and rugby and later [moved] to golf," Modise said,
explaining that he had always been apathetic about playing football.
"I have always liked to do things
differently and that meant I had to shun [playing] football when everybody else
followed that route in the township," he said, before taking another strike at
the ball, this one settling some 250 to 270 metres away. The strike was
followed by applause from his peers.
Business
He enjoyed playing what was often called an "elite sport", Modise said, and he
was happy that township children could now participate in it, but it was the
business side of it that really interested him. "I do like playing golf, but I
like the business aspect of it more."
Executive Mayor Amos Masondo and City manager Mavela Dlamini at the golfing clinic for the Alex youngsters (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
On the other end of the green, Finch was
giving Executive Mayor Amos Masondo a few lessons; he first told the mayor to
tuck in his tie so that it would not disturb him, and then advised him on his
pivot and swing. "Every time you bend to hit the ball, you must know which way
you want to direct it."
The coaching clinic was arranged by the
City in a bid to teach new skills to aspirant and amateur golfers from
Alexandra, the ultimate aim being to make the sport more accessible to children
from disadvantaged communities.
Gideon Ndlovu from Lombardy West boasted of
his golfing skills, saying his game was very accurate. He had been an avid
golfer since Grade Three and collected golf equipment, including clubs and
balls. He knew the names of all the items, showing his knowledge of the sport.
Now 16, Gideon said his dream included
playing the sport professionally and developing a driving range where he could
teach youngsters from his community. "I started playing golf when I was [young]
because my dad used to play. I would love to own a driving range like this one
[in future] where I can develop professionals out of ordinary youngsters.
"Golf is an exciting sport. I wish I had
competition here because then it would be nicer to have a challenge," he smiled.
Another young participant, Neo Tlapu, conceded
that her interest in golf only started after recruiters came to her school to speak
to learners about the sport. She decided to get involved because hanging around
the streets wasn't an option. It was then that she started travelling long
distances to a more developed course, to play with friends.
"When the coaches came to our school they
were looking for people who were interested in playing the sport," she said. "I
tried it out because I didn't want to sit around at home and do nothing after
school. I am thinking of playing professionally but it is a bit difficult to
get sponsorship and transport because this driving range is a bit far from
where I live."
Encouragement
City manager Mavela Dlamini, who had his eyes and ears fixed on the clinics,
encouraged the youngsters. "Golf is not played by aliens; it's played by people
walking on two feet with two hands and with a good head. That's all you need to
get started."
Getting ready to tee up on the driving range (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
Dlamini said the City had presented the
youngsters with such an opportunity because it "is always striving to build
good citizens and we hope that these kids will be an example to other kids so
that we have a better city and more responsible citizens and that we have
sporting people who can represent our country and our city in many areas".
The Alexandra Driving Range was developed to
make golf accessible to township youngsters, Dlamini said. "We hope that this
facility that the City is trying to develop will grow into a full academy that
can be used for coaching our children to play the great sport of golf. We want
to create opportunities where professional players come and share their expertise
and their knowledge of golf. We think this is a starting point that will ensure
that as we move forward, this game will grow in leaps and bounds in
Johannesburg."
The mayor said it was good to be in the
company of aspirant golfers and professionals, joking that he used to be a
caddie at Glendow in his hey days. "In those days, there was no idea that at
some future date the game of golf would be opened to black kids. But of course
sport, being sport, must be opened to all," he said.
"Our view on the Joburg Open is informed by
the approach that we have adopted with regards to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™." He
said the aim was to use the pressure of the football World Cup to boost other
programmes run in the City, be they health, economic development or sport.
Legacy
Masondo said the Alexandra Driving Range, developed as a legacy project of the
Joburg Open, should still be in use even when the Joburg Open and the World Cup
were long over. "We want to ensure that when the World Cup has come and gone
and everybody has forgotten about the big spectacle, we in Johannesburg are
able to enjoy the legacy benefits that have been left."
The 2010 Joburg Open golf tournament tees off with a Pro-Am - a build up to the main event -
on Wednesday, 13 January at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Course.
Billed to play is Masondo, some of Joburg's top businessmen, dignitaries, and
some 60 professional players.
The main tournament will tee off a day
later, on 14 January. It will run until 17 January. Entrance is R30 a day or
R80 for the entire tournament; it is free for pensioners and children under the
age of 16. Tickets are available at the gate. The event will be broadcast live
on SuperSport on all four days.
The Joburg Open officially kicks off the
Sunshine Tour and is held annually around the first two weeks of the year. It
is now in its fourth year.
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