The Royal Port Alfred Golf Club team broke a seven-year trophy drought after winning the Five Royals Golf Tournament at their home course over the weekend.
The tournament which has been played for 39-years bringing five Royal Golf Clubs together from across the country, is as much about forming bonds as it is about camaraderie and claiming the bragging rights.
This year only four Royal Clubs were in attendance however, Royal Johannesburg & Kensington, Royal Cape, Royal Durban and Royal Port Alfred with fifth participant, Royal Harare unable to participate at this year’s edition.
Club captains of the Royal clubs participated in the traditional flag-raising ceremony last Friday while a bag-piper Chris Terry played in the background before the tournament hit off after breakfast.
Royal Port Alfred accumulated 112.49 points over the three days of the Better Ball Stableford competition that ended on Sunday. They were followed by Royal Cape in second place on 111.42 points, Royal Durban in third spot on 111.08 points and Royal Johannesburg & Kensington in fourth place on 110.25.
Winner of the Claret Jug was Terry Counihan of Port Alfred while Royal Cape Town & Durban shared the award for club with the most representatives (16).
Among the prize-winners on Sunday was another PA member, Ant de Bruin, who paired up with Steven de Klerk (Cape) to take 1st position with 45 points.
Royal PA Golf Club captain Juan Pretorius though in his element with the win after grasping it from PA Royal Durban, said the tournament was about friendships and bonds formed among visiting golfers.
“For us it’s obviously nice winning but it’s not our aim for this tournament. Our aim is to build “gees” within the other Royals and ensure everyone else has a good time.”
Pretorius says the victory does however lift the profile of the club even more so now that they have claimed the victory spoils.
“It obviously builds a bit of camaraderie within our club and among our members. It’s not necessarily a must-see event as it’s only Royal Clubs who are allowed to take part … but it is great mixing with other Royal members. One leaves here with having made so many new friends and there’s open invitations to Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg to play golf there … which is great.”
The mixed teams format proved to be a popular innovation once again as each club got to play with different members from opposing Royal teams on each of the three days.
“We mix the entire Port Alfred members with other members of the clubs … and it helps the other Royal Clubs share in the home ground advantage … they [local golfers] can show them the lines of the greens and where not to hit the ball.
“When we [Royal PA] started on Friday we were bottom of the log and on Saturday we stepped up our game and we ended up second … and pulled it through on Sunday.”
Pretorius explains why the Royal PA Golf Course is so popular among locals and visitors.
“Our course is quite unique it hosts some buck wildlife … it’s got amazing views; it’s a links-type course and it is special in the sense that the greens are not receptive and you have got to play bump and run shots … you’ve got to modify your game.
“We pride ourselves [on upkeep of the course] and I must commend the green keepers; they have done an absolutely fantastic job to keep our course in such amazing condition. Our club is very unique as we have a special “gees” at our venue … we have a beer together and chat and tell stories afterwards, and you don’t always find that at other golf clubs … and that’s what keeps us together.”
Royal Durban stand-in captain and club president, Gator Reddy, said he’s been attending the tournament for the last 15 years and the great atmosphere to be had at the tournament keeps bringing him back.
“A lot of people save money to have a holiday here; so there must be an attraction to this place and when you come down here you get the feel of a holiday resort town and the mood almost propels you to enjoy yourself in a relaxed way.
“The competition though at this tournament is still very competitive. There are tons of bragging rights to be had but we came here not to just have a leisurely weekend, we came here to desperately defend our title and to take the cup back home.
“Obviously we are disappointed to concede the title but that’s the game unfortunately … we can’t win it all.”
Reddy said though they were disappointed for not having retained the title he congratulated the hosts, Royal Port Alfred, saying they were deserving winners this year.
“The fare that they put on for more than 55 golfers who come from all over the country and the manner in which they do it … is such that you know that there’s enormous amount of work that goes on in the background and their hospitality has always been sublime … and this year was no different,” added Reddy.
- This article was first published in Talk of the Town, July 25, 2024. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
