Robert Mavundla keeps dream alive
He's a tough customer who has earned the respect of his peers over the years.
Robert Mavundla of Margate Country Club is a great example of a later developer in sport.
The Ray Nkonyeni Municipality traffic officer is someone who has not let his age, or late start, prevent him from striving towards a dream and the obtaining of a goal.
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Despite taking up golf fairly late in life, he has become good enough that his aim to gain a Tour card, through the Vusi Ngubeni Qualifying School, is not as far removed as some may have thought.
“In my younger days I was mainly interested in football and played as a mid-fielder for Peacemakers Football Club,” he said.
“My uncle Bheki Mavundla from Durban was the one who introduced me to the game of golf but it was the late Derek Shusha, who was a member at Southbroom Golf Club, who helped me a tremendous amount,” he explained.
Also known as ‘Zu’, he may not have a classical, textbook swing, but it hardly matters.
He has found one that works for him – it’s efficient and uncomplicated – and then he puts in the hours on the range. Many hours.
Robert been a member of the Southern KwaZulu-Natal team for the past six or seven years, or so, having worked his way up through the ranks.
At one point he could barely make selection for the B team, but now he has earned the respect of all his teammates, for his brave and skillful play, often under pressure.
At this year’s Q-School, which feels like a distant memory due to the Covid-19 issues, but actually was not that long ago, he made it through to the second stage, narrowly missing out of obtaining a card.
Stage 1 was held at Observatory Golf Club where he placed tied for second.
Then it was on to Soweto Country Club in Pimville, Johannesburg for the final stage.
Reflecting on this trip, his second attempt, he felt that a few practice rounds at the Soweto Country Club, venue for the qualifying, would have helped his case, but were not possible at the time.
“The rough in particular was really thick, that took some getting used to,” he said.
Robert has won the strokeplay championships at Margate Country Club twice, in 2014 and 2017, and the matchplay at least once, he just can’t remember the year.
He reckons his short game is his strength, backing himself to get up-and-down from almost anywhere.
Off the tee, he generally hits it low and hard, but not necessarily a country mile.
So, he likes to keep it in play and then let his short game work its magic.
He hasn’t given up on the dream and is already setting his sights on next year’s tournament.
“I love to play and compete and the big ones really help you to get focused,” he said.
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