Santa says
Nearing the end of year 14
Please watch the video of Jack Nicklaus at our opening day press conference, before going any further into the newsletter. It sets the stage…
 | | | | |  |  |  | | Opening night | Press conference | 1st tee (no bush) | | | | |  | | Top green – island! |
In December 2006, about a week after we opened, Ernie Els defeated Trevor Immelman in weather that was some of the best we have ever seen in December to win the SA Open at Humewood (-24) . That was the same weather we opened St Francis Links with. Our 1st 10 days were amazing; then on about the 20th, the westerly came in hard and the course that looked and played so well, turned like an angry lion. To make it worse, the course wasn’t knitted to the cart paths so there was dust to deal with as well. I’ll never forget a golfer coming off after the round that day wearing wrap-around sunglasses. When he removed them, he looked he’d come out of a coal mine with only white around his eyes. We lost a few friends in the beginning, as the combination of wind and a new course proved tougher than the designer planned on.
With his permission, we started clearing around bunkers and widening landing areas immediately. While the course played perfectly with a camera, the golf scores were not as memorable. The fabulous layout, shot-making, aesthetics and conditioning still saw us earn “best new course in SA”. Jack Nicklaus loved the land as stated in the interview and insisted that as good as the land was at the time, the course would evolve with time. Mother Nature has helped that process by moving the sand in the bunkers to new locations, often increasing the faces of the bunkers in size and scouring the bases deeper at the same time. Many of our bunkers have been “cleaned up” and repaired to their original look and feel. Others have been made smaller or divided to offset the damage from the wind. The golf course has been widened immensely through the years to account for the coastal breezes and better playability. One of the biggest changes over time is the amount of bush that has grown in on the sides – Bitou, Slangbos and Blombos.
Before we opened, conservationists lodged their objections against the development. One reason was the fact that we were and are still the home to some very special plant life. Areas were designated as protected areas to ensure the survival of the rare indigenous plants. Today, there is more indigenous plant life than ever before. Recently, Professor Cowling came and assisted us by assessing our environmental management plan. Simply put, he felt that while it all looked good, maybe there was now too much of the Bitou, Slangbos and Blombos; by thinning and clearing, the smaller fynbos and plants could thrive as well. The programme has started.
There is no doubt that the look is amazingly different than day one – hopefully, you agree the evolution has been a good one. It’s hard to believe we are still raising a teenager.
 |  | | 2006 - No bush | 2020 - Framed in bush | | | |  |  | | Bush where it wasn't | A proper finish | | | |  |  | | Check out the bush around the bunkers | And now |
TK…TK…TK talks golf
The moment of impact
Everyone wants to hit the ball further and more accurate. The only way to consistently do this it to have a consistent impact position. Easy? No. Possible? YES
What should happen?
- The golf club should be moving towards the ball on the correct line
- The clubface should be aiming to your target, back to its original position, square to the target line
- The club should be traveling towards the ball at the correct angle
- The club should be moving as fast as possible
There are many factors that are important to develop a consistent impact position however I will discuss only one factor this week
Setup
Starting with a good setup will enable you to deliver the club in the correct position at impact. I took 2 pictures of Micah van Eyssen, one of our up and coming talents. My view is that he has one of the best golf swings I have seen. He practices (important) and receives weekly lessons from PGA Professional, Christo Krugel. The first picture shows Micah at address. You can see how the left arm is straight, the arm becomes an extension of the shaft the hands are opposite the ball. The club head is behind the hands and the shaft is pointing towards his left hip. The second picture shows Micah at impact. Notice how the left arm is still straight, hands have moved in front of the ball, club head behind the hands and the shaft pointing towards his left hip. Micah has cleared his left side and is textbook at impact. Notice the extension and width.
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The below pictures prove that setup has a direct influence on the impact position.
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The left arm is not an extension of the club and the shaft is not pointing towards the left hip. You can see that the mistakes made at address have carried through to impact. The golfer pictured above can hit the ball pretty well, however he struggles with consistency.
For more information, book a lesson by emailing us pro@stfrancislinks.com or giving us a call on 082 764 3044 and we can get you on a path to become consistent.
Thinus Keller
PGA Head Golf Professional
St Francis Links
Golfing Highlights
Two formats that we seldom use are Better ball Bogey (minus 1 for a nett bogey or worse, zero for a par and a plus 1 for anything better). Better ball Bonus Bogey at least awards the players who make nett eagles with 2 plusses and the rare nett Albatross with 3 plusses. It’s the inevitable dropped shots that hurt as a minus now appears on the card. When I see scores like plus 10 (equal to 46 points), when there are potential minuses involved, I reckon the handicaps are off or the course is too easy. HUMMMM… 11 players shot par or better nett with Super Dave Webber out in 68 nett. There were 11 two-clubs with Christopher van Rensburg making two. 21 Four-points (++) were achieved on the day with Hein (the legend in his own mind) making 3, nett eagles in the first six holes.
OK, we are going to stop “softening” the course and all winners will be automatically cut OR we’ll just keep promoting fun and fair golf, playing from the tees that best suit your game and carry on.
I am sure a vote is not required.
Click here for Saturday’s Bonus Bogey Plus results
Winter SALE!
Our friends from Global Golf, suppliers of Cutter&Buck, AHEAD, Ernie Els, Rhode Island and others have sent their latest winter garments and we are prepared to offer specials from the start. In addition, the popular puffer jackets and vests have been reduced to go! Perfect for our cool morning and fresh winter days, take advantage of what’s on offer. Hey, shoes and eyewear are on sale, too!
Charl wins the Syngenta prize
CONGRATS on winning our first prize Charl Blaauw, we loved your video. You will receive your prize within the next 10 days. We appreciate your support & all you do for our industry.
August Specials at the Links
OPEN all through August with no Spring Programme closure… Now is the time to be working from home.
WE ARE COOKING
and your favourites are back
Curry Wednesdays just got easier!
The 2020 Calendar and results
We look forward to more sponsored days with ITEC and Selective Lighting/The Fire Works and the addition of a new partnership between Pam Golding Properties and Village Square SuperSpar.
To view the current schedule, as well as the results, click the button below.
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