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Greetings from the DOG’S desk,
It’s Monday morning and the course is open again after a very successful week of autumn treatments last week. Sit back enjoy the read…
Friendship Cup
Friendship is important! That was the messages from the Wednesday school on 1 May, when they hosted the members in the annual Friendship Cup. As always there was a big donation to the Stellenbosch Cares Fund this year to the sum of R20 551! This group never holds back when it comes to the prizegiving table - put your hands together ladies and gentlemen for an outstanding golf day.
The winners of the day – Carel Nel and Fred Kieks scored 51 points in the slightly modified BB Stableford competition, with both players’ scores counting on the 9th and 18th. Why? Because friendship counts the most towards the end…
 | | Friendship Cup 2019 – a day to remember! | Here's to another successful Club Championship 2019 The oldest competition in the world is a club’s Club Championships and we had another one for the member and record books. This event has become one of the top events on the club’s calendar during the past four years. The event is annually presented by two fantastic sponsors: Argent and Protea Hotel Stellenbosch. But, I would also like to thank Distell and Stellenbrau for spoiling the members and their guest after the round on Sunday. Meyer Pauw is our champion golfer for 2019, after winning a two-hole playoff against Cornel Muller. Both players finished on 8 under par after 54 holes. These playoffs bring so much excitement to the event and we once again could not have asked for a better finish.
Crystal Beukes made it two in a row by defending her title! Congratulations to both these players and thank you to all 160 participants who joined us for the 2019 championships.
Check out some more beautiful photos (Thanks EJ Langer) by clicking here.  | | Crystal Beukes Ladies’ Club Champion and Meyer Pauw Men’s Cub Champion | | | As always, we started on Friday with the Junior Championships and the Putting Championships. (Erich will be writing about the Putting Champ on Friday.)
It was great to see all the young golfers peg it up, but by far the most special was handing each player their certificate during the prizegiving on Friday evening.
Winning the Cubs Club Championships (Junior Course) was Wilhelm and Martin Odendal – how special to share it with your brother!
Gerard Hartman shot 4 over par on the red course which was good enough to win the Wanna be Great Trophy and be crowned our Junior Club Champion for 2019. We had four of our development juniors also participating in the tournament and it was all smiles when they got to shake our General Manager's hand at prizegiving.
 | | The future of golf…. It was all smiles at prizegiving – well done to you all! |
 | | Our two special starters and event managers for the tournament. |
The wheels are turning...
Wednesday is the third round of the Group One Nissan & Renault Challenge and I hope your tee time is reserved, because I just had a look and it was full! I must say I did not expect anything less as these guys spoil the members once a month with a wonderful day. I hope that you will be supporting them in the same way.
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Let's make a combined effort
I just loved the comments and feedback from my previous DOG’S Tale regarding the cigarette butts. I still see some lying out there, but I do feel I have made a difference, just because I have stopped doing it. The one thing I have always done is fixing more than one pitch mark on a green - what if ALL of us start doing it? The photo below was taken on Sunday morning during course preparations for the final round of the club championships. Yes, we love to say it’s all the visitors playing here that don’t fix their pitch marks, but sadly ladies and gentleman, all golfers are guilty of this one.
Most days looking out over the course from my office I witness both visitors and members not fixing their pitch marks. How do we turn this into something positive? We can all fix more than one on every single green – that means 8 pitch marks per green per four ball! Why not do it the American way – let’s make our greens great again!
 | | Please fix those pitch marks, even if it’s not yours |
Improve your health...and golf
At the beginning of 2018, I made a lifestyle change. My good friend and doctor complained weekly about my health, while I complained weekly about his golf! So, we both decided to make a change. I must admit that I’ve done a bit better than the doc on my health than him on his golf. Lucky for him this wonderful game has a handicap system and we are having a great year on the course. Erich will be working very closely with Lize-Jeanne, a biokineticist. Both of us did the below test and can recommend it.
Make sure you book your time with Marizan to have you test done on Saturday 1 June. The whole family is welcome to come and do it. In July we will have another bonus for you - with all the Discovery shops closing, we will be offering you the opportunity to do your vitality test at the club. Bring the family and get those points. Is that convenient or what? Keep watching this space for the next date.
Rest in peace
The ladies of Stellenbosch GC have always had a very special place in my heart. As a young man at Stellenbosch GC I had the pleasure of meeting a very, very special lady member of Stellenbosch GC. I even played a couple of rounds of golf with her. The lady I’m talking about is Tannie Babsie van Heerden. Born on the 4th of September 1916 she joined Stellenbosch GC in 1956, was the Club Champion in 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1973 – 8 times she lifted the trophy! She was also the Ladies Club Captain in 1958 and 1970.
I have fond memories of Tannie Babsie and Oom Alwyn coming to play 9 holes while I was doing my apprenticeship. Akkerdraai was her home for 63 years and a place that made her happy and she always loved to tell me about it. Tannie Babsie passed away on the 29th of April 2019 at the age of 102 years. A very special lady I’ll always remember – R.I.P.
Another good friend and member of Stellenbosch GC Francois O’Kennedy passed away on Sunday. Francois leaves a big empty space at the club, almost every afternoon walking into the lounge there would Francois be enjoying his glass of wine. He loved to talk about rugby, any rugby. Many of us watched many games with him during the years. Driving to the family farm each year I stopped at the turnoff to Loeriesfontein and took a picture for Francois. It will be a sad drive this year when I pass “our” board. R.I.P. my friend you will be dearly missed at the club.
There will be a Memorial Service / celebration of Francois' life on Thursday at Stellenbosch Golf Club starting at 11h00.
 | | Our special photo on route to the farm each year! |
Die Stellenbosse klublid Coenie Snyman het die afgelope jare naam gemaak as een van die top wynmakers in die Stellenbosch-area.
Snyman is sedert 2006 Rust-en-Vrede se wynmaker en is in 2009 as die Diners Club se Wynmaker van die Jaar aangewys vir die Rust en Vrede Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 wat hy gemaak het.
Lees verder in hierdie onderhoud wat gholf vir Coenie beteken asook van watter wyne by die klub hy van hou.
Vraag: Het jy op skool gholf gespeel en aan watter sportsoorte het jy deelgeneem?
Snyman: Nee, wel bietjie krieket en rugby op Paul Roos gespeel.
Lees die res van die onderhoud hier.
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Stay positive and have a great week,
Louis
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