WINDHOEK – Gone are the days when a white man would swing the club and the black man would carry the golf bag. Also, gone are the days when a white man would hit the ball into the rough and the black man would go running after it and fetch it. Of late, a significant number of golf caddies have entered the fray and are on the upward swing so to speak.
Aspiring golfers teed off in the newly introduced Namibian Caddie Classic in Windhoek recently with a total of 26 young caddies from around Namibia coming together to swing the clubs at the maiden edition of the annual Namibia Caddy Classic. The championship consisted of two rounds of 18 holes and only one shot separated the leader from 2nd place. Ambrossius Bonifacius, the new champion, played a fantastic 73 medal score on the 2nd 18 holes to outplay Erickson Hatutale, who closed in with a 153 gross score for the day.
Swakopmund-based Bonifacius, has vowed to return and lay down the challenge to his Windhoek counterparts, whom he said still have a lot to learn about the game of golf. In his victory speech, the young golfer lauded legendary golfer, Adri Basson for making it possible for promising young caddies to participate in the sport they have been involved in for such a long time. “Once again, thank you very much Adri for ploughing back into a sport that has given you so much in the past. Playing is one part of golf, but it also gives caddies the opportunity to provide for our families. Many of us have been caddies for over two decades and longer and this has provided us with the opportunity to put our children through school, while providing shelter and food to our dependants.”
On his part, Basson encouraged the caddies to continue practicing, adding that golf is solely based on merit when it comes to the selection of national teams and beyond. However, this goes hand in glove with hard work and sacrifice, which usually means spending hours of solitary practice and dedication on the greens, he said. The former Namibian undisputed golf champion was extremely impressed with the mild manners, etiquette and knowledge of the golf rules shown by the caddies on the course.
By Staff Reporter