The good old Grahamstown golf course was where many of us Rhodes students picked up the addiction for the game.
The good old Grahamstown golf course was where many of us Rhodes students picked up the addiction for the game.
I remember my very first round there back in 1989 and a little naive, I asked my opponent and good mate, Pete Emslie the distance of the par 3, 7th hole.
Yes, the same Pete Emslie (the Border off-spinner who never turned it and our Rhodes captain in 1991 who batted me 11).
I thought I was an all-rounder. Sorry Pete, payback time.
Anyway, he gave me a distance of around 190 metres and my three-iron sailed over the green into the road.
The hole only played about 120 metres. I never made the same mistake again, although I don’t remember making too many birdies at the trappy little par 3 over my three years at Rhodes University.
The Grahamstown golf club was a very special place where the locals, farmers and students shared a common bond and the odd drink. So many great times there.
Perhaps, the only negative was the course had no bunkers.
But that’s about to change with the new Grahamstown course in the Belmont Valley (between Grahamstown and Port Alfred) with 21 bunkers.
The par 72 layout, designed by Tyrone Yates with five par-3s and five par-5s will be open towards the end of June 2015. The first 12 holes are almost complete and the remaining six are ahead of schedule.
The Bloukrans river, which runs through the course and the dense bush will make it a real golfing challenge. Grahamstown is also going to benefit with the old course set to become a new development with a 25 000 sqm2 shopping centre, 650 homes and 250 apartments.
Also, the rail link between Alicedale, Grahamstown and Port Alfred will be revitalised and there’s even talk of an airline flying between Johannesburg and Grahamstown.
Things are happening in the Eastern Cape and let's just hope the Grahamstown municipality can get its act together. As students, we used to have a mini golf tour in the Eastern Cape called the “4Hs” thanks to Humewood, Hankey, Humansdorp and “Hn” Francis. Hard to forget Humansdorp as there was a tennis court near the 1st or 10th tee if my memory serves me correctly and my first tee shot went straight into the court, to which the caddy responded with “15-love”.
Got to love the Eastern Cape. And soon you’ll be able to have a “properrrrr” tour there with the new Grahamstown course, Port Alfred, Fish River, Humewood, East London and St Francis (Links and town course). Heellll swaar, it’s going to be mooi.
sport@grocotts.co.za
