New owner at St Francis Links

Craig West was my first PGA apprentice at Fancourt in 1991. A South African by birth, Craig saw an opportunity in Germany and pursued it. Some 28 years later, Craig and his partners own and operate three golf operations. The flagship facility in West Golf is a nine-hole course that features the 17th at Sawgrass near the Clubhouse. They play 40 000 rounds a year – nine-hole rounds! With over 800 members and an average age of less than 40, the place hums on and off the course. Outside the 600sq metre Clubhouse is what he calls “West Palm Beach” complete with palms and sand. On Fridays, it’s that place to be.

Craig was born and raised in PE and his dad resides there. He has followed and kept up with me and stayed in tune with the happening here. One thing led to another and he starting seeking opportunities for winter residence.

Recently, after some good searching and assistance from Stirling Olivier (RE/MAX), he secured a home on the second fairway here at The Links. Everything was done online, sight unseen. When he arrived, Stirling was there to welcome him and what Craig found, surpassed his high expectations. After playing the course, he started messaging me.

“The course is MAGNIFICENT!!!!!”

“Greens are truly world-class”

 

Craig later wrote to me…

Was it the view down to the sea, surf and mountains, the slivers of lush green fairways, perfectly manicured and revealing themselves between the Fynbos…?

What is it about the Links at St Francis that made me want to be part of it?

Was it the friendly and almost familiar greeting at the clubhouse for breakfast on only my second visit, the terrace boasting a vista that can more than hold its own with anything I‘ve ever seen worldwide…?

Is it the perfect balance between nature and residential living on a timeless and world-class golf course?

Is it the “gees” that you feel wherever you are on the estate, a feeling of getting back to your proudly South African roots and reliving it all again as if for the first time?

I‘m not sure if I‘ll have the answers anytime soon, and somehow it doesn’t really matter. Because like an old friend you haven’t seen in years, some things just need to be felt to be understood.  And I‘m loving this feeling!

“Hard to leave”

Please, please, please do your part!

New Dates for our Majors

Due to the Covid lockdown, we have been forced to reschedule the Men’s Invitational.  Please check that you are ok with the new dates and reconfirm your entry.

Men’s Invitational – 17-19 September (fully booked)

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Players of the Week

Wednesday School – Easylife Kitchens – Betterball – Jaunita Gobby and Bimpie Olivier

Saturday School – Alliance 3 to count – Lynn Slogrove, Debbie McCracken, Bimpie Olivier and Alison Bosch

Click Here for details of these events

Team Member of the Week –

 

 

 

Download the Zapper app and take a chance!

 

Thank you all for caring about your course – #leading the way

 

We look forward to our sponsored days with ITEC and Selective Lighting/The Fire Works and Pam Golding Properties and Village Square SuperSpar events.

New events – Ladies’ and Men’s Medal will be played on the 1st Wednesday of every month

7-8        Jan          Men’s Member-Member Partnership, Mark Ward and Richard Sharwood, Champions

13         Jan            ITEC Open Wednesday, Hein Spangenberg and Yan Coesens, 51pts 

27         Jan           Pam Golding/ Village Square SuperSpar Alliance, Hein Spangenberg, Yan Coesens, Daryl vd Vyver and David vd Vyver, 92 Points

3           Feb           Monthly MEDAL, Shaun Viljoen and Lynn Slogrove

10         Feb           ITEC Wednesday, Yan Coesens and Hein Spangenberg, 47pts

14         Feb           Valentine’s Day Dress-up Golf; Gavin and Jaunita Gobby, 41pts

20         Feb           Greensomes, Scott Keevy, and Deon Marais, 41 pts

24         Feb           Pam Golding/ Village Square SuperSpar Alliance, Simon Haigh, Yan Coesens, Charl Blaauw, Hein Spangenberg, 86pts

3           Mar          Monthly MEDAL, Gross – Fred V Eyssen, Nett – Brett Wilson-Jones, 69, Stableford – Hein Spangenberg, 35pts

5           Mar          Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 15h00 shotgun, Graham Botha and Geoff Garratt, 24pts

6-7       Mar          Pam Golding Annual – SFL vs SFB, SFB, 37.15 ave, SFL, 36.83 ave (.32 difference)

10         Mar          ITEC Wednesday, Charlie Gilmore and Neil Jones, 44pts

20        Mar          Foursomes, Dave Micklem and Norman Rock, 40 pts

31         Mar          Pam Golding/Village Square SuperSpar Alliance, Norman Rock, Tim Elliott, Michael Barratt, and Ronnie Nienaber, 81pts 

2          Apr           Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 15h00 shotgun, Debbie McCracken and Michael McGahey, 24pts 

2-4      Apr           Easter Weekend

7          Apr           Monthly MEDAL, Rita Du Plessis and Malcolm White 

9         Apr            Masters Par-3, shotgun at 15h00 (sponsored by Fitch and Leeds), Graham Botha 

27-28 Apr           Ladies Championships, Medal, Lynn Slogrove (G), Rita DuPlessis (N)

1-2      May          Stableford Championships (Men and Ladies) Chris V Rensburg (A), Doug Cornish (B), Dave Hart (C), Lynn Slogrove (A), and Alison Bosch (B) 

7          May         Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 15h00 shotgun Ernest and Linda Muller (donated back). 

26       May         Pam Golding/Village Square SuperSpar Alliance, Brett Wilson-Jones, Norman Rock, Nico Van Rensburg and Gavin Gobby, 88pts (85%)

29-30 May         Pam Golding Ladies’ OPEN Weekend, Jaunita Gobby and Lettie La Grange, 86pts (85%)

2          Jun          Monthly MEDAL, Chris V Rensburg, Lynn Slogrove, Lesley Fisher and Carol Boonzaier 

4          Jun           Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 14h00 shotgun, Lesley Fisher and Gillian Hammond, 22pts c/i

16        Jun           Easy Life Kitchens/ Wednesday, Lesley Fisher and Susan Gray, 45pts c/i

23        Jun           Pam Golding/Village Square SuperSpar Alliance Noelie Pearson, Jaunita Gobby, Bimpie Olivier and Sue Gray

26        Jun           Windhoek Lager International Pairs, Norman Pretorius and Deon Marais

30-3    Jul            Nomads National Order of Merit (International Points) Rescheduled

7          Jul            Monthly MEDAL, Shaun Viljoen, Lynn Slogrove and Alison Bosch – Gross 

18-21   Jul            30th Road Trip (PGA Invitational) Rescheduled

21         Jul            Easy Life Kitchens/ Wednesday – Jaunita Gobby and Bimpie Olivier

28        Jul            Pam Golding/Village Square SuperSpar Alliance,

6          Aug           Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 14h00 shotgun

14        Aug           Greensomes   –

15        Aug           Nomads Annual Game

16 – 31 Aug          Hollow-tining Spring Programme (Course Closed)

1          Sep           Monthly MEDAL

3         Sep            Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 14h00 shotgun

15       Sep            Easy Life Kitchens/ Wednesday

12       Sep            Foursomes

17-19 Sep            Men’s 15th Invitational Member/Guest (fully booked on 166 players) 

25-26 Sep           Links Cup (Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits)

2/3     Oct            EP Champs (course closed)

9/10   Oct            EP Champs Matchplay finals

16       Oct            Ladies’ Invitational

20      Oct            Easy Life Kitchens / Wednesday