Vumatel brings future golf pros to CMR Golf Club to iron out kinks in the juniors
Three stars on their way to the United States share the small insights that make a big difference.
Vumatel and CMR Golf Club invited a small group of talented golfers for a morning training session with a Youth Day theme on June 16.
Former professional and now nurturer of South Africa’s most promising players, Nico van Rensburg, led a team of four that included three of South Africa’s future professional tour winners. For two hours, the quartet shared small yet important insights and techniques that help make a big difference on the fairways and greens.
The morning outreach programme was not for first-timers but for players who were already accustomed to an 18-hole slog. The group came from across Roodepoort to enjoy the seminar featuring players only a few years their senior. Nico has a wide stable of young talent and through these nationwide development sessions, discovers budding talent looking to emulate the coaches on the day, Bernhard Koster and Tristan Klopper.
The other notable coach was current SA junior number two, Daniel Bennet. The 17-year-old has occupied the number one spot for most of the year but recently surrendered that due to school commitments forcing less time on the course. Daniel won the Western Province Amateur Strokeplay in April shooting four rounds under 70 and won the 2023 Golf RSA U19 championship with a record-breaking score of 34 under par over the four-day competition at Peacanwood.
Young players from across Roodepoort take advantage of CMR’s unique approach to growing the game. CMR President Winston Smith reiterated that his club’s juniors do not pay annual membership fees but still pay for their individual rounds and nominal SA Golf Association membership fee.
“They are fully-fledged members from day one. This is where our future members come from,” said Winston.
Golf has always had a strong relationship with business and through those ties the possibilities are far-reaching.
“Through Vumatel we can share with youngsters the huge opportunity that exists in golf. Not just as a player but in all the background roles like greenkeeping, clubhouse work, caddying, and the commercial elements of the game,” said Nico.
CMR has severed the golfing community for over 100 years and hopes are for that to continue for several decades more.
Elaborating on the value of the public asset, Nico called on the surrounding community to back their community club, saying, “This used to be one of the top courses in the country and it is important that we keep golf affordable and accessible to the public.”
