Royal Port Alfred Golf Club rolled out the red carpet for 80 golfers from 10 regions on Monday at the official opening ceremony of the SA Inter-Provincial Country Districts tournament being played from Tuesday up to Friday this week.
The formalities for the Golf RSA-sanctioned tournament kicked off with a gathering in the clubhouse lounge before all golfers attired in provincial blazers were led out to the flag-raising ceremony to the sound of bagpipes ensemble led by Murray Roodt.
Teams lined up in front of their respective flags to acknowledge the national anthem being played by the bagpipers. Golf RSA tournament director, Gregory de Doncker, extended a word of welcome to the golfers who watched their province’s flag hoisted by the team captains.
The tournament which is over 100-years old was declared “open”.
Players are involved every day with a foursomes format in the morning and singles in the afternoon. Scores are then tallied up at the end of the week – and final scorecards will determine who wins the tournament and which provincial units will be promoted or relegated.
The A section comprises North West, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, Free State, Southern Cape. B section – Boland, Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Kwazulu- Natal, Border.
“It’s one of the really special, special tournaments,” said de Doncker.
“It’s got a very unique history to it; it’s over a 100 years old. It’s a tournament where every night there’s a formal dinner where teams chat to each other and stand up and talk about the team they played against … and share gifts with each other.”
De Doncker said this tournament was unlike any other where golfers play and leave after the day’s play had ended.
“It’s about team spirit within teams and the relationship-building across teams that makes this tournament so special.
“We chose Royal Port Alfred because we regard it as a country venue … so this tournament is a country tournament which is outside the metros and the uniqueness of the course lends itself to a fantastic tournament.
“The beauty of this course is that no two holes are alike … and often you’re playing either down wind, cross-wind, against the wind or up the hill. But that’s what it’s all about and golfers love the challenge. The environment and wildlife are fantastic.”
RPAGC manager Ken Brook said the hosting was a special moment for the club.
“We as a club feel very honoured that Golf RSA have chosen such a fantastic tournament to be held here. It is a privilege for Port Alfred to host it … not only for the club but for the whole town. We have over 100 people here and they are staying at various accommodation.
“The players are super impressed with the condition of our golf course, especially our greens … a green means a lot to a golfer. Today is quite windy but plays into the hands of our region’s golfers such as EP and Border, who play a lot in the wind. But this all part of the challenge of being a golfer.”
Preparations started five months ago after Golf RSA gave the club the go-ahead for the hosting. Brook said though at times stressful, all arrangements had gone according to plan.
“The biggest challenge has been golf carts … we have 30 golf carts and they needed 55 so we had to source and hire from East London … and to source an extra 25 hasn’t been easy. We had to source extra flagpoles source from Durban but were are only happy to arrange.
“We have overcome all the challenges and it gives us a sense of pride. We are showcasing ourselves as a club – and giving visiting golfers the best experience possible.”
- This article was first published in Talk of the Town, September 18, 2025. 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
