TEEING
TEEING OFF
OFF Shelley, Alison Sheard, Sampie Pienaar, Kathy Scheepmaker at the Duke of Edinburgh Event at Arabella
I
f there was a theme for this issue it would be sponsorship! It has been a long time since I have been able to “brag” about the sponsors in women’s golf and this issue shows that the tide is turning. It is obviously easier to attract sponsors to a sport when the players are succeeding and are attracting a lot of coverage both locally and internationally. Lee-Anne Pace started this phenomenon last year with her five successive victories and completed the season being the first South African to win the Order of Merit on the Ladies European Tour (LET). It is however, important to point out that Ashleigh Simon finished in fourteenth position which is also a great achievement and she is the South African who has made headlines early in the 2011 season with a win in the Portugal Ladies Open. With a total of seven SA ladies playing on the LET this season, the most we have ever had, we are following in the men’s footsteps and becoming a force to be reckoned with on the International Tours. Players like Stacy Bregman and Tandi Cuningham finished just outside the Top 50, with Tandi in a playoff for the title in India at the end of last season. Morgana Robbertze has her full LET card and with some fundraising ventures and good finishes, she hopes to be able to play more events this season. Laurette Maritz has become a stalwart of the LET
and with her custom designed African print attire, she is truly “proudly South African” and is a favourite in many of the countries the tour passes through. Connie Chen is our youngster and the SA rookie on tour. Connie has only played three events so far and already has two top 40 finishes. This is a lady to watch for many years to come. As you read through this issue, take note of companies like SWAGG and Subaru, who are the latest brands to support our girls. It is important for us amateur lady golfers to show these companies that we value their commitment to the sport, as that is the only way to encourage further investment. Ultimately, we would like to see the revival of a local tour, giving us the opportunity to watch our local lasses and some of the best players in the world, playing right here in SA. Almost every event has a sponsor linked to it, so get out and do your bit to support. Whether you choose a cause like the Sanlam Cancer Challenge or attend one of the Peugeot Series events as a beginner or enter your children to play in one of the Glacier Junior Series, show the sponsors of the sport that we are as dedicated to following their events as they are to sponsoring them. Speaking of “following”……the advent of social media has to be the primary life changing experience of our modern era. It allows us to bring the
whole world not only onto our doorstep, but right into our hand. I have created a Twitter account and promise to keep you updated on the results of our girls on Tour, as well as sponsor information, events and of course which courses we are playing and which resorts we are visiting. So if you are a “Tweeter” follow @SAWomanGolfer and be the first to know everything about women’s golf in SA. Last but certainly not least, it is our 4th BIRTHDAY ISSUE!! “Happy Birthday to us” and a BIG THANK YOU to all the people who have contributed over the past four years. My Creative Team – you guys ROCK and make each issue look better and better. To my loyal and supportive advertisers – without you, we would not have a magazine. To my editorial contributors (names listed below) – thank you for making my job such a pleasure. Cheers! Here’s to many more years!! See you in due course!
shelley@sawomangolfer.co.za
@SAWomanGolfer
Cover: Ashleigh Simon celebrates her win Photography: Shelley Galliver SA Woman Golfer Publisher Details: Cover Photo Credit:
Tristan Jones / LET
Editor: Editorial Contributors: Gerhard Neethling Lesley Copeman Laurette Maritz Garth Milne Lali Stander
Shelley Galliver Natalie van Blerk Jodi-Ann Pearton Paddy Goodwin Gail Smirthwaite Zelda Smook Tristan Jones
Tristan Jones Cecile Lundgreen Reeve Nield For Advertising Enquiries Contact: advertising@sawomangolfer.co.za Creative: Sketch Advertising Managing Director: Trevor Meijboom Creative Director: Susan Snyman Creative: Andrea Wiggill Bonnie Roodt Proof Reader: Karin (Hawkeye) Hobson
Postal Address: PO. Box 2210, Jukskei Park, 2153 Tel: 011 453 4446 Fax: 086 517 7395 E-mail: info@sawomangolfer.co.za Website: www.sawomangolfer.co.za Printed by: CTP Printers Distributed by:
RNA Distributors
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or otherwise without prior permission of the copyright owners, SA Woman Golfer cc. The opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of SA Woman Golfer cc.
4
sa woman golfer
Jun/Jul/Aug 2011