Gallery
KNYSNA GOLF NEWS - Patience was a virtue at the Knysna Golf Club's 2021 Club Championships, where more than 100 golfers took to the greens across three men's and three ladies divisions last weekend to see who would be this year's champions.
The champion-ships took place on Saturday and Sunday, 20 and 21 March, and despite a large lack of "swallow" members (members who travel to but don't live in Knysna), they were able to welcome a near-capacity field of 119 participants.
The first day of competition on Saturday was prime golfing weather, with sunny skies and light breezes blessing the golfers as they set out to tackle the challenges that lay in wait, with tee-offs starting at 10:00.
Players were greeted with various gifts such as golf towels from the main sponsor (PSG Wealth), ball markers, fruit, bottled water supplied by Tooty Frooty, and even a bit of liquid courage from SA Breweries while out on the course. After the first day's play, Norman Beggs was in the lead in the Men's A Division with an even-par 72 while Lizzie Lightley led the charge in the Ladies A Division with five-over-par 77.
Ladies A Division winner Lizzie Lightley gets ready to begin her final round. Photo: Blake Linder
Sunday's weather offered an entirely new challenge for the final round. Unexpected rain fell throughout the night and in the early morning, forcing the 08:00 start to be delayed by two hours.
When the downpour ceased, the Knysna Golf Club grounds team conducted a quick course inspection, and a team of caddies volunteered to take care of the puddles on the worst-affected greens.
While the caddies were doing their best to ensure that golf would be played, the players bided their time with board games and whatever other entertainment they could find. Their patience eventually paid off as the combination of the caddies' efforts and the skies beginning to clear, made playing the greens possible again.
As can be expected with the unpredictable Knysna weather, the afternoon went off without a hitch, and play was completed.
In the Men's C Division, Tony Pilgrim scored 68 points to secure victory, beating Graham Ive by one point. In the Ladies C Division Lauriol Kiebler bagged 69 points and beat Marisa Raffinetti by seven points. Next, in the Men's B Division, Samuel Kamfer finished with a gross of 162, beating Krisjan Leen by two shots. Bev McKenna was the Ladies B Division champion with a gross of 191, beating Toni Stevens by three shots.
Both A Division results weren't such close affairs as the other divisions. Lizzie Lightley finished 15 over par in the ladies section, which saw her emerge victorious by 15 shots over Shelly Colananni.
In the Men's A Division Norman Beggs finished three under par to defeat Kerneels Julies and Errol Siebrits by 10 shots. Siebrits was the senior champion (over 50s) with his nine-over-par, enough to earn a two-shot victory over Ivan Palframan.
Men's A Division champion Norman Beggs gets his final round underway. Photo: Blake Linder
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