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Best of Golf >
Ernie Els >
Pay it Forward
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© Kelvin Saunders
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Players who benefited from junior programs are
providing similar opportunities for golf’s next generation
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By
Ernie Els
We can all remember how we first got into golf- probably through family,
friends or perhaps a junior organizer at a local club. No matter how, it all
boils down to the same thing: receiving the encouragement and more importantly,
the opportunity to play.
I was lucky. We had great weather in South Africa,
so the outdoors were a way of life. My dad, my brother and I were members of the
local club, which meant I could play as much golf as I wanted to—which was a
lot. And as my game improved, I was fortunate to have parents who were in a
position to support me as I pursued my dreams.
I’ll never forget playing in
the Optimist International Junior Golf Championship in San Diego when I was 14.
I was excited because it was the biggest tournament I’d ever played in. It was
also big for South African golf since we had been prevented from playing in international events.
I had the lead going into the final round, and my
playing partner was Phil Mickelson. As we came to the last hole, a par 5, I knew
that if I made par I would win. Despite my nervousness, I made that
all-important par. Even now, 24 years on, I remember it well.
The other
thing I remember is the hamburgers. I ate a lot of hamburgers that
week!
Seriously, that was one of the most important weeks of my life. It
helped me believe in myself. All because I was given the opportunity—that word
again. Without that, who knows what I’d be doing now?
Tiger, myself and a lot
of other guys on tour all can remember those who helped us when we were growing
up. It is why we give back to the game at the junior and grass-roots level. It’s
part of the reason we set up the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation in 1999.
The foundation helps give kids a better start in life so they can make something
of themselves through education and access to the game.
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Columns:
Desert Menu
In his first column, the principal of Ernie Els Design discusses his project in Dubai, as well as his architecture philosophies
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Feature:
Arnold Palmer vs. Phil Mickelson
If Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods blitzed the record books with lethal, impersonal precision, Arnold and Phil have been the alternative. Who is the better No. 2?
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Personalities:
Kevin Hall
Sports helped hearing-impaired Kevin Hall overcome adversity at a young age
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Links Gear:
Cobra King Cobra L4V X
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Feature:
From Tour to Teaching Tee
My one-hour lesson with Charlotta Sorenstam at the Annika Academy
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Links Gear:
Ping G10 driver
Ping's newest driver will help you hit more fairways
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Feature:
At Cliffs' Edge
As Tiger Woods stands on the precipice of his architecture career, what’s ahead for the 13-time major winner — and the company that has commissioned his first U.S. design
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Feature:
What's Ahead for Tiger Woods
America's greatest living novelist on the future of the world's best golfer
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Links Gear:
Callaway FT-i
Square is definitely in, especially for those wanting to hit more fairways.
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Testing Grounds:
Nike Golf Sumo2
“At first, I wasn’t sure about the design,” says an 11. “But if a club performs, I don’t care what it looks or sounds like.”
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Personalities:
Open Dye-alogue
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 By
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Nearing his sixth decade as a course architect, Pete Dye talks about re-doing his most famous layouts, the USGA and architecture’s past, present and future
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George Peper:
Out of Left Field
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 By
George Peper
Driving through the Highlands town of Kingussie, the author came upon a small sign for a golf course and discovered a haven for southpaws—as well as a new sport
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Personalities:
Charting a New Course
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 By
Tom Cunneff
Annika Sorenstam is looking to break new ground—literally and figuratively—in the male-dominated world of golf course architecture
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