KNYSNA NEWS - Meyer du Toit, general manager at Knysna Golf Club, last week received the highest honour a member of the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) of South Africa can receive.
Du Toit was named the PGA Professional of the Year for 2023, marking the second time he's been honoured with the award.
The PGA National Awards dinner was held last Tuesday, 5 September, in Johannesburg. The function is a means for the PGA to honour and celebrate its most hard-working and dedicated members from across the country.
Awards functions were first held at a regional level, where Du Toit received the PGA Management of the Year award for the Southern Cape/Eastern Cape region.
But this was merely a taste of what was to come. On the night in the City of Gold, nothing but gold medals came his way.
The Knysnarian was awarded the national PGA Management of the Year prize before being named the PGA Professional of the Year for the second time.
Du Toit first won it in 2015 when he was director of golf at San Lameer Estate in KwaZulu-Natal. It does, however, mean a lot more to Du Toit this time around.
"It's one thing winning the award with a private golf estate, but it's completely different doing so with a municipal course," he said.
"Private estates have so many resources at their disposal that municipal courses don't, and we often have smaller staff contingents too. I wouldn't have won this without my incredible team, club members and committee and I am beyond proud of the incredibly hard work that we have put into Knysna Golf Club in my term as GM.
"I cannot wait to see what lies in wait for our gem."
Knysna Golf Club president Kevin Horack was proud of Du Toit. "Voted in by his industry peers, Meyer is a huge drawcard and asset for Knysna Golf Club. His passion for the sport and the club is hugely evident. Knysna Golf Club is continuously growing by welcoming new members, young as well as recently retired," he said.
"The club also boasts one of the strongest ladies sections in the Southern Cape. Members at Knysna Golf Club are truly blessed to enjoy the fruits of Meyer's dedication and commitment."
A long, decorated PGA journey
Du Toit has been a member of the PGA since 2004, when he joined the organisation as the head golf professional at then Sparrebosch Clifftop Estate (now Pezula Championship Course).
Thereafter he moved across the estuary to Simola Golf and Country Estate as head golf professional in 2005 before re-joining Pezula as the general manager in 2011.
In 2013, Du Toit traded the Southern Cape for the South Coast and took up the director of golf position at San Lameer Estate for seven years before taking on the role of player manager for his good friend, SA Open champion and Knysna local Branden Grace, in 2020.
While with San Lameer, he won the PGA KZN Management of the Year award in KwaZulu-Natal in 2018.
Du Toit ultimately returned to his home town of Knysna and took on a new challenge.
He became general manager of a municipal course for the first time at Knysna Golf Club in February 2021. Now, two and a half years on, Du Toit's tenure as GM has seen Knysna Golf Club undergo significant growth with the pinnacle being that the club twice achieved its highest-ever position in the Top 100 golf courses rankings.
In 2022 Knysna was ranked 83rd, beating its previous best of 85th set in 2004. Then, in 2023, Knysna was ranked at 81st, its now highest ranking ever.
In 2022 Du Toit also won the PGA Management of the Year award in the Southern Cape/Eastern Cape region, and was a finalist at the national level.
In addition to being general manager at Knysna Golf Club, Du Toit consults for a company called Impact Point/GSE Worldwide as a talent scout for aspiring tour professionals.
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