Sometimes you have to look from the outside in!
This year I celebrate 30 years in South Africa and a lot has happened in 30 years. Madiba with hope, Zuma (well…say no more). Now we live in a country with so much to offer, shut down to Covid and unable to welcome the world to our shores. Over the past two weeks, I have had a real chance to reflect, regroup and reconsider my life’s choices. Aside from taking everything too seriously and letting too many things affect me, I wouldn’t change my life’s choices for anything!
I walked the Wild Side yesterday morning with a new friend and was asked what I want to leave behind – my legacy. I just want my approach to hospitality to carry on. For nearly 40 years I have dedicated my life to seeing that people’s quality time, primarily through playing the great game of golf, is properly looked after and memorable – it’s their quality time and it’s worth making the extra effort. For the past 15 years, I have embraced this very special St Francis Links with a brilliant team around me. We constantly try to provide an incredible environment to live in and a place you want to be a part of – safe, secure, natural, clean, welcoming and sound, financially and operationally.
Simon Sinek wrote a great book called What is your WHY.
Our why is really quite simple and most of our staff understand it completely – Every person who comes through our gates are 1) potential investors/homeowners, 2) ambassador for the estate and 3) returning guests.
What we do and how we do it is all about the WHY. A wedding … a birthday party… a conference… a golf day or tournament… Fish Friday or just a little shoot-out on the 17th.
St Francis Links started in boom times with nearly 470 Ervin sold in the first 18 months. But what we soon learned after the challenging economy that followed, many of our original investors were not invested to build, they were invested to sell at a profit. But we persevered. In 2009 we basically merged the HOA and Club into one management team, with overlapping duties and responsibilities. The combining of departments and cost-cutting exercises that followed saw us through the next years profitably, building reserves and making improvements that helped to shape the estate we are today. When I shared this story yesterday during our walk, I realized that more than 400 properties and some homes had been resold in the last 6 years – replacing investors with enthusiastic homeowners to be. Instead of falling, we got stronger. We became more attractive to the young and the forever young. The addition of the Leisure Centre, additional lifestyle choices and a safe living space proved successful.
As I stood outside myself looking in, I did feel a sense of pride, the pride that we have produced a golf course, a Club, and an Estate that are some of the best around. But we are only getting started. With the great input received from our members and the fantastic working relationships we have with estates around the country, I am confident that we will have the necessary solutions going for saving and producing water, for supporting solutions and creating mechanisms that will save on electricity and communication will be faster and more reliable.
Over the past days, I have walked the area beaches, the trails and the roads, something I needed to do. It has shown me that we have something very special here – a pocket of excellence (a good friend said) and we must appreciate it, promote it and look after it.
Taking stock for me simply means that I want to learn from my mistakes, keep learning from all resources available and share my skills with those I can. We are building on the Estate and as much as I have enjoyed the privilege of living on the most beautiful ocean, my afternoon walks in the trails and sundowners with friends make it something to really look forward to.
- The Goliath is back
- No ZOOM needed
- in our yard
New Dates for our Majors
Due to the Covid lockdown, we have been forced to reschedule the Men’s Invitational. What a shame as it was fully subscribed (with a waiting list) on 120. Please check that you are ok with the new dates and reconfirm your entry.
Men’s Invitational – 17-19 September
Good-bye friend
Players of the Week
Wednesday School – Individual Stableford – Norman Rock
Windhoek Pairs – Norman Pretorius and Deon Marais
Click Here for details of these events
Team Member of the Week – Renaldo Walters
On the 15th of December 2020, I received an opportunity to work at St Francis Links as a casual. I have been working here for 6 months and I have to say the experience is unexplainable. I work in the golf department and am trained as a golf cart attendant.
I enjoy working at St Francis Links and love everything that comes with it. The part I love most about my job is meeting people from all over the world and giving our members as well as their guests the best service and an unforgettable experience.
My favourite hobby is playing soccer but very soon I will be a good golfer. I come from a loving, caring and God-fearing family. I am my Mother’s last born and have an older sister. I am a father of one, his name is Rezario and he is 3 months old.
Motivations: Don’t stop and keep going and work very hard.
Game drives and the great game of Golf at the perfect venue!
Download the Zapper app and take a chance!
Thank you all for caring about your course – #leading the way
The 2021 Calendar and results
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) Reschuduled
7 Jul Monthly MEDAL
16-1 Jul Men’s 15th Invitational Member/Guest Rescheduled
18-21 Jul 30th Road Trip (PGA Invitational) Reschuduled
28 Jul Pam Golding/Village Square SuperSpar Alliance,
6 Aug Selective Lighting / The Fireworks – 14h00 shotgun (postponed)
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
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