Cape Town, 15 December 2008: Three past South African Open Champions will be sharing their knowledge and love of the game today with young golfers aspiring to be champions themselves.
Master’s Championship, Trevor Immelman, Retief Goosen and David Frost all past winners of the South African Open Championship will be working with children from the SA Golf Development Board, Raymond Ackerman Golf Academy and Western Cape Golf Development.
The Development Clinic is one of the first activities of tournament week at Pearl Valley Golf Estates.
David Spencer, CEO-Golf of Leisurecorp, the owners of Pearl Valley Golf Estates said:
"The clinic sets the tone for an event that nurtures both champions and grassroots players.
"At this event, the world's second oldest Open Championship, we’re thrilled that past champions share their skill and talent with youngsters who are developing a love for the game and we at Leisurecorp are committed to amateur golf in South Africa".
The South African Open Championship starts on Thursday with a line-up of players never before seen in South Africa. Immelman, Frost and Goosen are joined by Ernie Els, Lee Westwood, Rory Sabbatini, Justin Rose, Rory McIllroy, Australian Open winner Tim Clark and the new Alfred Dunhill Champion and Order of Merit winner, Richard Sterne,
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Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate will host the South African Open Championship in 2011 and 2012. The Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course at Serengeti is the first 27-hole golf course in Gauteng and was recently named “Best New Golf Course” by Golf Digest.
The 18-hole course called Masai Mara, which means “wide open plains” in the language of the Masai, has a rugged grassland and dune-scape look. One of the unique features on the course is the par-five eighth hole with its island green. The nine-hole course called Whistling Thorn has a more classic feel.
The courses were constructed in accordance with USGA specifications, with cool season grass that provides green vistas all year round. Designed as a strategic and technical masterpiece that will test today’s best players, the sunken design of the course with its wide corridors is ideal for tournament purposes and provides optimal spectator value on almost every hole.
