Fairway fundraiser tees off in support of young golf talent

A self-taught golfer, who only picked up the sport three and a half years ago, Blake Christian Venter is already turning heads on the fairways at only fourteen.

Under the mentorship of former professional Anton Haig, Blake has transformed from a 13 handicap to a 3 within a single year, a leap that few young players ever achieve.

“I am working hard to continue to improve my game and achieve my goals with every opportunity I am blessed with,” Blake said. “With my current average handicap index of 1.8, I am truly thankful to God for my natural talent and passion for the game.”

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Now, training with focus and determination, Blake’s dream is to keep pushing his limits. With the right support, sponsorship, and scholarship, he hopes to reach new heights in his golfing career, and continue representing his province, and, one day, his country on the biggest stages.

On October 3, the community rallied behind Blake with a fundraising golf day in his honour, aimed at supporting his training, tournament travel, and continued development as one of South Africa’s most promising young golfers. “I love everything about golf.”

Blake’s steady progression is reflected in his results at the Ernie Els SA Primary Schools Championship, where he has competed for two consecutive years. His performance has shown what coaches have called a remarkable 55% improvement over that period.

A standout moment came in January 2025, when he clinched 1st place on his net score at Parkview in the CGGU A Division (ages 12–18).

He also recorded 4th-place finishes at Seasons Eco Golf Club and Dainfern in 2024, and tied for 1st at both Wanderers and ERPM in 2025, narrowly losing both titles in playoffs.

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At the provincial level, Blake currently ranks 5th in Central Gauteng for U15s, and has represented the province in a match-play tournament against the country’s top eight unions, where the Gauteng Central team finished 3rd overall after seven rounds.

“My goals for 2025,” Blake said, “are to win more than eight tournaments, to be a good sportsman, to hit my driver 280+ every time, become below a +2 handicap, and do good in school.”

He credits his mental resilience and relentless optimism for helping him overcome challenges on and off the course. “I have struggled in my mind, but I overcome it by thinking positive about every shot, even when it’s not so great.”

When asked what drives him, he said: “I’m always chasing a lower and lower score, and that feeling of striking it good and hitting a great shot. When I’m older, I want to be the best in the world.”

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