ROYAL Durban Golf Club had a few anxious moments against Southern KwaZulu-Natal at Southbroom Golf Club last Sunday, but did just enough on a serene afternoon to avoid having to go into a Premier League relegation playoff against Kloof Country Club.

The hosts got off to a flier, taking the foursomes 4-0.

This came as something of a shock to probably everyone, considering Southern KZN’s season so far.

However, Royal’s wily campaigners Lynton Beckett, Kuben Nadrajah and Barry ‘Basher’ McGhee clawed things back, and while Royal lost the match 8-4, they secured enough match points to finish third in the pool behind Cotswold Downs and Durban CC respectively. Umhlali CC were fourth.

Royal junior Sebastian Terblanche had a golfing lesson from veteran Gavin Sole, losing 7/5 at number one.

To his credit, the effervescent youngster holed a tricky little putt for birdie on the 12th to avoid a ‘dog licence’.

The final proper will be contested between Cotswold Downs and Mount Edgecombe Country Club, the champions in 2015, at a date and venue still to be confirmed.

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* Meanwhile, Louis Albertse (20) of Dundee took the next step in his promising career by winning an IGT Challenge Tour event at Wingate Park last week.

It was a sensational maiden victory in just his third start. He made nine birdies in the final round to shoot 66 and win by two.

Albertse felt that his time playing IGT events had helped him learn how to handle the nerves.

“It’s quite different to the amateur circuit, because of the mixture of professionals and amateurs. With the boards around the course and the scoring, you get a real taste of the pro ranks,” he said.

* Coming up, it’s the David Suddards Trophy at Durban Country Club this Sunday, June 18.

With selection for the KZN team not that far off, it’ll be interesting to see who can do what in the coming weeks.

In my time of writing about amateur golf in the province, KZN have only won the IPT twice, once at Royal Durban in 2000 and then again at Durban Country Club in 2009.

The team at Royal comprised Jaco van Zyl, Derek Scullard, Mark Hopf, Gary Sabbatini, Murray Gilson, Craig Wearne, Morgan Phillips and Mark Cox.

At Durban CC it was Jared Harvey, Daniel Greene, Michael Hollick, Chris van der Merwe, Ryan de Beer, Gavin Sole, Steven van Heerden and David Brown.

It would have been interesting to see these two teams play each in their respective primes. Result too close to call I’d suggest?

It seems KZN has nine or 10 year cycles as this year’s overall group of players are arguably as talented, if not more so, than those two teams.

Of course, that’s a debate for another day perhaps, but this year’s crop could pull off an extremely rare away IPT win at Bryanston CC in September.

The possible team this year could be eight of Malcolm Mitchell, Clayton Mansfield, Matt Saulez, Louis Albertse, Siyanda Mwandla, Greg McKay, Gavin Sole, Luke Mayo, Jason Broomhead, Hayden Griffiths, and maybe even Derek Scullard, back playing some exceptional golf.
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