Margate Centenary Challenge Proposal

TOURNAMENT PROFILE – MARGATE CHALLENGE

The Margate Challenge was introduced to 2000 as a fundraiser for improving Club facilities. This tournament is traditionally held every year in June, as a result of the perfect weather experienced on the South Coast during this month. When the tournament started, the club was given an “Umbrella” sponsorship by one company per year. This meant that one Company would sponsor a lump sum of money and was the sole advertiser. Due to economic difficulties, these sponsors became more difficult to engage. A “Challenge” chairperson was elected and under his guidance, with the assistance of the various captains and the Pro, the idea for multiple sponsors and advertising was born. Each year, various businesses are approached to sponsor prizes and/or purchase advertising space on the various greens during the competition.

The tournament is played over three days and is open to everyone. The format of the competition is a “Better Ball Stableford” (pairs competition). First, second and third prizes are awarded for each day, and there are also prizes for the overall three days, being the Margate Challenge Trophy.

To celebrate the Centennial of Margate, this year we have joined the Margate Business Association and have scheduled our Margate Challenge on the same weekend as the Margate Centennial Celebration. We wish to change the name of the competition to the “Margate Centennial Challenge” and incorporate the Margate Centennial Logo onto all our media. We would also like to add a Mayor’s Cup Competition to the Margate Challenge and the winners from the third day of the Margate Centenary Challenge will be awarded the “Mayors Cup”. We would extend a special invitation to the Mayor of Margate, to join us in presenting this trophy and attend the celebrations of the third day of the Challenge. In addition to this, we would like to expand the objectives of the Challenge to include our projects of Golf Development in the Rural and Previously Disadvantaged areas.


OBJECTIVES OF THE MARGATE CENTENARY CHALLENGE.

In the past, the profits from the yearly Margate Challenge were channeled into selected improvements of Club facilities, benefiting our members. However, it has become vitally important to include Golf Development into the objectives of our fundraising this year. We have realized that the future of Golf in this country and for our Club is in the hands of the youth. Should we wish to ensure the future of Margate Country Club and Golf in our area , we need to act now and ensure that we create interest in the upliftment of Golf as an alternative sport, amongst our local communities. We have made the following changes to the competition.

• We would like substantial percentage of the profits made from this years challenge to be channeled into our “Golf Development” Fund (full details of this to follow).
   

• We aim to incorporate a “Junior” Golf tournament on Tuesday 16th June (Youth Day). We would like all of our current Golf Development assisted children to be invited to play and their entry fees, golf balls, tee markers and T-shirts sponsored. We want to approach the local schools to advertise the competition and would like to subsidize the entry fees of these children. With the assistance of council, we would also like to sponsor the prizes for this competition.
   

• We would like to enter two completely subsidized teams into the Margate Centenary Challenge. These are an Under 18 and Under 23 team, run by ‘Sbu Ntozakhe who is on our Golf Club Committee. These teams will need to be subsidized for Entrance Fees, T-Shirts, Accommodation and transport. ‘Sbu is the manager of this “South Coast Team” who are partially subsided by UGU. We would like to assist in the future and encourage these golfers to join Margate Country Club and help with future funding.
   

• We would like to incorporate a “Mayors Cup” competition into the Margate Centenary Challenge, which will become an annual fixture. The highest three scores from the third day of the Margate Centenary Challenge will be awarded prizes and the winner will received the “Mayors Cup”. We would like to send a personalized invitation to the Mayor of Margate, inviting him to hand out the prizes and to join us in celebrating the Centenary.
   

• We would like to capitalize on the publicity that this event may create, to ensure the future of our endeavors with the upliftment of Golf in the community.
   

• One of our objectives is also to create an awareness that Margate Country Club is a solid part of the Margate Business Community and to encourage visitors to visit and stay in Margate whether they are on a work or leisure trip. We are extremely proud of Margate and wish to join all other businesses and Council in celebrating 100 Years of Fun! We have found that many business deals are done on the Golf course!
   

• Obviously, we would also enjoy the publicity gained from an event like this, enabling Margate Country Club to become the most popular and enjoyed Golf course on the South Coast.

GOLF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

The coaching of juniors at Margate Country Club has been an ongoing exercise for some considerable time. The coaching was initially being provided by our professional Jan Nel. The Margate Country Club supported the concept because of the need to bring youth into the game in a holiday town where there is a continual exodus of young men and women to the bigger cities.

Jan and his staff were the forerunners but eventually in late 2007, one of our members, Daniel Mohlakoana, realizing that Jan needed help, offered his assistance to the project and from there the whole process grew. Unfortunately, Daniel was forced to take a back seat towards the end of 2008 due primarily to his own work pressure. At about that time a third party came into the equation. Gary Smith, also a golfing member at Margate Country Club, came forward and offered his assistance with coaching the kids in Daniel’s absence.

The group is about twenty five strong and is growing slowly. The numbers vary from week to week and some weeks the turnout can be as low as eight or ten, especially when there is a competitive event that catches the children’s imagination. The enthusiasm shown by the juniors is however, quite overwhelming and this is evident in the progress that they make with a game that most them only know from TV.
Being asked to identify those with potential or the future stars of tomorrow is not a very easy task, but there are some who show an aptitude that certainly indicates future potential. Each and every child has shown improvement and progress over time and hopefully each will develop into a club or recreational player or maybe even our own ‘Tiger Woods’. Jan and Gary both agree that generally the kids take to it very readily and, unlike adults, have few inhibitions or hang ups.

Part of the program includes coaching lessons which are given to all children each Saturday morning from 08h00 to 09h00 at the Margate Driving Range. The scope of the training embraces all levels and we try to assist those who are already playing golf as well as absolute beginners. The children are also introduced to the etiquette and basics of Golf in these sessions. There are no charges levied for any coaching but there is a driving range charge of R15.00 per child for a bucket of 60 balls. This is a very good price compared to current charges at any driving range. As can be expected however, this is somewhat of a deterrent to some of the children, therefore Margate Country Club covers these charges continually.

Recently through the good offices of the Kwa Zulu Natal Golf Union, sets of golf clubs were donated to some of our juniors and the response was overwhelming for the children and genuinely gratifying for those that do the coaching. This has been a huge plus for our efforts and we are truly indebted for this gesture. The efforts of Margate Country Club members, the club’s President Ivan Curlewis, the club’s Professional Jan Nel and his own staff, the driving range management Arnie Ossendryver plus the assistance of Daniel Mohlakoana, Gary Smith, Dannie Muller and others has all helped this most worthy cause. These children love the coaching and the help is given freely by people who really care.

We would like to take this further and get these children to join Margate Country Club – with subsidized subscriptions and equipment, as well as to enter and play in tournaments. The Natal Golf Union has started a Junior Golf Foundation and are aware of our efforts. We would like to become an extension of this foundation and be able to take on more children into our program.

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