dale hayes column
LEGENDS TO REMEMBER
A closer look at some of South Africa’s most underrated golfers
What I’ve always loved about our game of golf is the history of the courses, tournaments and players.
If you’ve never read about professionals like Walter Hagen, Tommy Bolt, Lee Trevino or Fuzzy Zoeller, you are missing out. These were not only great golfers but also great characters.
Another great character who would fit perfectly into that group would be our very own Simon Hobday. Simon was one of the funniest men I ever met. He had the ability to come up with the right things to say at exactly the right time. Fortunately, Simon won the US Senior Open at Pinehurst in 1994. Had he not won that, we all would have remembered him as a party-lover who lived life to the full. Simon always had a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other as he entertained groups with his wonderful stories. He loved to have fun and laugh, and be around people.
But Simon could play golf and it would have been very sad had he not been remembered as the great player he was. His golf swing was used as a model by David Leadbetter, along with Ben Hogan’s swing. High praise from one of golf’s great coaches. Simon won five events on the Champions Tour, five on the Sunshine Tour, including the Zimbabwe and South African Opens, and the 1976 German Open and 1979 Madrid Open on the DP World Tour. His record would have been even better but he was a nervous putter – when his putter behaved, he was a hard man to beat.
Unfortunately, Sally Little won all her tournaments before we could see her on TV. After winning the individual title at the World Amateur Championship in 1970 she turned professional and went on to play on the LPGA Tour. From 1976 to 1988 she won 15 tournaments, including two Majors. In 1980 she won the LPGA Championship and in 1988 the Du Maurier Classic, beating Laura Davies by one shot. She tied for the US Women’s Open in 1986 with Jane Geddes but lost the 18-hole playoff. In 2000, the 50th anniversary of the LPGA, she was recognised as one of the top 50 LPGA players of all time. Sally is one of South Africa’s finest sportspeople.
Tienie Britz was a terrific golfer in the early 1970s. He won the SA PGA Championship twice and led the SA Order of Merit in the 1971-72 season. “Britzie” also won the German Open on the DP World Tour in 1977. He represented South Africa three times at the World Cup of Golf, once partnering Gary Player, then also with John Bland and Bobby Verwey as partners. He was a fine ball striker and had an excellent short game. He retired from the Tour in the mid-80s and became the teaching professional at Broome Park Golf Club in Canterbury, England.
Harold Henning’s career mirrored Gary Player’s. “The Horse”, as he was affectionately called, was the opposite to Gary. He was relaxed on the course, smoked, didn’t mind a few drinks off the course and was an avid bridge player. Golf was almost a sideline, but, man could he play. He played in Europe for the first dozen years then went to the US after he and Gary won the 1965 World Cup of Golf in Spain. He won 12 times in Europe and had seven wins in the US. On the Sunshine Tour he had another 17 wins. He finished third at The Open Championship in 1960 and had three other top-10 finishes.
Harold played fast after hitting shots while his playing partner’s ball was still in the air. He was always hugely popular with golfing fans due to his casual way of approaching golf. Many believe if he had worked harder and taken the game more seriously, he would have been one of golf’s greats.
Another South African who could have been a golfing great was Bobby Cole. After winning the British Amateur in 1966 at the age of 18, he was thrust into the limelight. He had the finest swing I ever saw and was quite simply the most elegant golfer.
Unfortunately, Bobby didn’t enjoy the crowds, the limelight and all that went with becoming a star golfer. He was laid-back and an introvert. Despite this, he almost couldn’t help winning. He came so close at The PGA Championship in 1974 and The Open in 1975. Bobby won only once on the PGA Tour and had 10 Sunshine Tour wins.
His win at the World Cup in Venezuela in 1974 was his most emphatic as he beat Hale Irwin, Lee Trevino, Jumbo Ozaki and Isao Aoki. He and I won the team event and he won the individual title by five shots. His golf over the four days was phenomenal. We played with the Japanese and American teams and Bobby made their best players look inferior. He was better than them from tee to green and he outputted them.
Bobby Cole, Harold Henning, Tienie Britz, Sally Little and Simon Hobday were all sensational golfers locally and on the world stage, and we should not forget them. They kept South Africa’s name in lights in the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.
USGA/SALLY LITTLE GOLF/SIDNEY HARRIS/BOBBY COLE/FACEBOOK
South Africa’s Dale Hayes is a former professional golfer with an illustrious record in the sport. His 21 professional wins include the 1971 Spanish Open, the 1974 World Cup of Golf in partnership with Bobby Cole, and 13 titles on the Sunshine Tour. He also won the European Tour Order of Merit in 1975. Since retiring from the pro golf circuit he has remained active in the sport as the principal of an event management company and a popular and respected commentator.
South Africa’s Dale Hayes is a former professional golfer with an illustrious record in the sport. His 21 professional wins include the 1971 Spanish Open, the 1974 World Cup of Golf in partnership with Bobby Cole, and 13 titles on the Sunshine Tour. He also won the European Tour Order of Merit in 1975. Since retiring from the pro golf circuit he has remained active in the sport as the principal of an event management company and a popular and respected commentator.
He also won the European Tour Order of Merit in 1975. Since retiring from the pro golf circuit he has remained active in the sport as the principal of an event management company and a popular and respected commentator.
South Africa’s Dale Hayes is a former professional golfer with an illustrious record in the sport. His 21 professional wins include the 1971 Spanish Open, the 1974 World Cup of Golf in partnership with Bobby Cole, and 13 titles on the
Sunshine Tour. He also won the European Tour Order of Merit in 1975. Since retiring from the pro golf circuit he has remained active in the sport as the principal of an event management company and a popular and respected commentator.