| Reflections of the Masters by Jeff Clause |
| I have been embracing and watching the Masters longer than you have had television. I watched Arnie and Gary and Jack in the 60’s and early 70’s when the greens were still the fastest in golf at about 9 feet on what is now known as the Stimp meter. |
| Side note – Our St Francis Links speed philosophy |
| When we opened the Links, our green speeds averaged about 10 feet on the Stimp metre and in the Cool Season, we could get them much faster – say 12 feet. There was a problem though. Pin placements became more limited, and wind speeds caused the ball to move.
Pace of play averaged just under 5 hours and scores were +4 or more shots higher than a person’s average score at home. Our surfaces were smooth and true.
Then we made a conscious decision to take some pace off the greens, reducing speeds to an average of 9,3 to 9,7 on the Stimp meter. Guess what! Playing times were reduced by 20 minutes and more. The greens remained smooth and true. Scores improved and the beers following play tasted better!
Oh, by the way, we also widened every landing area we could, cleaned up most bunkers and pruned where we could.
You be the judge! |
| I must support Rory again! He deserves the Slam. It has haunted and eluded him for years.
Last night I watched the replay of the 2004 Masters, where Ernie shot 67 on Sunday with two eagles to take the lead. He had previously played Augusta well and it looked like his year. Then came Phil, with five birdies on the final nine and closing with a tournament-winning birdie on the last. 1st major for Phil and a gut-wrencher for Ernie. |
| My three favourite tournaments were the 1995 Masters, when Ben Crenshaw returned from his mentor, Harvey Penick’s funeral to win his second and most emotional Masters, doubling over on the 18th. |
| In 1992, Freddie Couples’ tee shot on the 12th miraculously stayed on the slope above Rae’s Creek. He made a 6-footer for three and went on to receive the Green Jacket from his college roommate Jim Nantz, who declared at the University of Houston that he would, one day, have that privilege. |
| The best victory in my books came from my GOAT (Greatest of all time), Jack Nicklaus, as he walked up the 18th fairway with his son, Jackie, on the bag. In 1986, Nicklaus played the last ten holes 7-under par! Oh, he was forty-six at the time. |
| Commentators Verne Lindquist says, “Yessss, Sir!” |
| Come and enjoy the Masters golf on the weekend with extraordinary events here at St Francis Links, starting with the Par-3 Challenge on Friday and the Green Jacket Champs on Saturday. |
| Win with your Masters pick |
We’ve created a private pool on Golf Champs, and we’d love for you to join us. All you do is pick four golfers for the week of the Masters, and your team goes up against other teams in our group. Whether you’re a serious golf fan or just in it for the fun, it’s a great way to get involved in the Masters action:
- Log onto golfchamps.net or via the app
- Register or login
- Choose your team of players for the Masters (4 players whose total ranking exceeds 100)
- Then select the ‘’Pools’’ tab at the top of the website page
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| Our ladies Captain Sue Cogswell lead an awesome tour!
Twenty enthusiastic Links ladies set off to the beautiful Plettenberg Bay, where they enjoyed rounds of golf at both the Plett Country Club and Goose Valley Golf Club.
They were fortunate to stay at the lovely apartments on Goose Valley.
A huge thank you goes out to Cindy Bown from Pam Golding Properties for all her hard work in making the arrangements seamless. |
Arlaine Oxenham had the very important role of looking after Ladies Mascot – Tilly the Turtle!
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| In true tour tradition, the newcomers had to entertain, and oh boy – they did not disappoint!
Everyone was treated to a hilarious rendition of a new Haka that had everyone in stitches. It’s safe to say that laughter was the soundtrack of the trip! |
| Fines, Captain and Winners |
| The fines Captain, Jo Botha (second from right) was in top form throughout the tour. Not only did she keep everyone in check with her witty fines, but she also snagged the Nearest the Pin award!
Other NTP winners included Sally Nienaber, Di Biggs, and Irene Torode, who all walked away with fabulous prizes generously donated by Lynda Groeneveld.
The Dinner at Barrington’s was nothing short of spectacular. A special celebration as Bindi Harpur marked her birthday with bubbles and chocolates.
As for the tournament results over the weekend, Tish Dowling emerged as the overall winner, with Jo Botha and Di Biggs taking second and third place respectively. Congratulations to the winners! |
| Tish Dowling – the Tour Champion! |
| A special shoutout goes to Tish and Peter Dowling from Woodcentre Cape Town for sponsoring the beautiful tour shirts. They truly added a touch of style to the event!
Lastly, we extend our gratitude to Plett Country Club and Goose Valley for providing two fabulous days of golf. A big thank you also goes out to our ladies committee for their invaluable input in making a tour like this such a success.
Here’s to many more memorable tours ahead!
Cheers! |
| World Golf Awards nomination! |
| We have been nominated in the 12th annual World Golf Awards for:
South Africa’s Best Golf Course 2025: St Francis Links
Voting is now open and members of the golf community – consumers and industry executives alike – can vote for the brands they consider the very best in golf tourism.
The full list of World Golf Awards 2025 nominees can be viewed on the website where votes can also be cast.
Voting runs until midnight 1 October 2025. The winners will then be notified and the 12th annual World Golf Awards will take place in beautiful Madeira, 12-13 November. |
| 2025 Majors at St Francis Links |
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