South Africa’s 84-year-old golf legend Gary Player speaks to FORBES AFRICA about the greatest honor of his life and on training like a 40-year-old at his daughter’s home during the lockdown in the US.



South Africa’s nine-time Grand Slam golfer, Gary Player, is currently in lockdown with his wife Vivienne in Pennsylvania, in the United States (US), where the couple are visiting their daughter Amanda-Leigh Hall and her family.



Player had also arrived in the US to receive what he calls one of the greatest honors of his life, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from President Donald Trump at the White House on March 23; some of the past recipients of the prestigious award include Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Mother Teresa, Toni Morrison, Tiger Woods and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.



But the lockdown changed all plans.



So the golfer, best known for an illustrious playing career that included 165 professional victories, is now in his daughter’s home, “training like a 40-year-old”.



Elated, Player classifies the Presidential Medal of Freedom recognition as coming second to the honor of being a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.



When asked how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected him, the world-renowned 84-year-old golfer, nicknamed the ‘Black Night’, says in a phone interview from the US with FORBES AFRICA: “We are living in extraordinary times. This is not life as we have come to know it. My heart goes out to people during this trying time.”



Player fears the aftermath of the Covid-19 virus could be devastating to all, as some are already beginning to suffer due to the inability to earn an income.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“The post Covid-19 world may cause humans to sink into an inevitable hole of depression, and I fear that people will be dying not of the virus, but of hunger and thirst,” he says.</blockquote>







Player says he prays numerous times a day to thank God for his blessings. This year, he celebrates being married to Vivienne for 63 years.



“I love her even more now than I did back then, I wouldn&#8217;t trade the last 63 years for nothing on this earth,” Player says.



Vivienne has traveled the entire “amazing” route with Player while raising the couple’s six children: Jennifer, Marc, Wayne, Michelle, Theresa, and Amanda.



“I can safely, and with confidence, say that my wife is my best friend,” adds Player.



Although in his eighties, and true to his second nickname, ‘Mr Fitness’, Player may be in&nbsp; lockdown in his daughter’s home but he exercises diligently at the in-house gym.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IMG_0977.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44494" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IMG_0977.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IMG_0977-300x400.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IMG_0977-600x800.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IMG_0977-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption>Gary Player training at the gym in his daughter&#8217;s home; image supplied </figcaption></figure>



He also ventures into the forested area on his daughter’s property for long, peaceful walks in solitude. There is also a simulator at the house where Player can tee off as though on a golf course.



Including him and his wife, there are currently nine people in his daughter’s home, and although being in isolation, this experience has brought the family even closer, he says.



“All of us participate in joint activities that were never possible before due to everyone’s busy lifestyles. I love my large family,” attests the man blessed with 22 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He is yet to meet his month-old great-grandchild born to granddaughter Antonia and who is the newest addition to his large family.



When the lockdown ends, Player hopes to return to normal life “as soon as possible”. As a businessman with a “hectic, hectic” schedule, he is eager to get back to doing what he loves and says that being patient is not an easy feat.



Commenting on his own future, Player says he wishes to be remembered as a man who tried to contribute to society despite the mistakes he made.



“When I die and pass away, I want people to know that I tried my best in life. And that I am sorry for all the mistakes I made. Admittedly, we all make mistakes.



“I want to be remembered as a man who loved his fellow men,” says the legend who has also recently been key to integrating golf courses into local communities back home in South Africa.



“I am convinced there is a black girl or boy in South Africa today with tremendous athletic prowess, with the talent. If they can just be incentivized, then there is a chance,” Player told FORBES AFRICA for a story on his new initiatives in November 2018.



 – Brandon Nel, FORBES AFRICA contributor



Like what you are reading? There are more such profiles of newsmakers and enterprising thought leaders driving decision-making in FORBES AFRICA. Download a digital copy today!

IMG_0975

True Sport: Gary Player On Family, Isolation And The Covid-19 Aftermath

In an exclusive interview with FORBES AFRICA, golf legend Gary Player speaks about the greatest community golf course he has worked on, and it’s in Soweto.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



Golf legend Gary Player has thrown his weight behind a project in South Africa’s Soweto township that he believes should be viewed as a game-changer in how to integrate courses into local communities and is perhaps the first step in producing a black golfer capable of winning a Major title for the country. 



Player, 83, who was recently honored with the title of World Golf Course Designer of the Year, is best known for the nine Major titles he won in an illustrious playing career that included 165 professional victories.



He has been key in the rejuvenation of the Soweto Country Club, a sea of green among the sprawling township, and says it is so much more than a place to enjoy a round of golf.



“We originally designed this course in the 1970s, but this new course we have been working on for two years now,” Player tells FORBES AFRICA. 



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“It’s a miracle, it’s the greatest community golf course we have done and we’ve done hundreds around the world. </blockquote>



“I have never seen anything to compare to Soweto Country Club. There is a vibe here that is unmatched anywhere in the world.”



Player says a big part of the project has been to include locals in the development and running of the course, to help them feel part ownership of the project and provide a needed sanctuary for many in the community. 



“We had young guys here in Soweto with no jobs and we have brought them in and trained them to cut greens. We have incentivised people,” Player says.



“We have old ladies that are lonely and suffering from neglect, we bring them here to have a cup of tea and give them some love in their lives. 



“We want to get elderly gentlemen to come and make a seniors division and play a bit, even if it is only three holes. We want to include everyone.



“We want to create something for the community that benefits everybody. Even the houses along the road next to the golf course, they are painting them and rebuilding because they are going up in value.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“What we can do through golf is amazing. It is not just the elitist sport that people used to say it is.”</blockquote>



Player, whose views on the game are sought all over the world, feels that the threat to golf in the future does not come at the top of the sport in the professional game, but rather that it becomes inaccessible to amateur players. 



“In professional golf, they have never played for such fantastic amounts of money. These days, in two tournaments, some of the pros earn what I managed to win in all my life,” Player says.



“Professional golf is so popular, especially with Tiger Woods coming back now. But what we need is to build golf courses for the average man, the pros are not so important.



“Because it is the average man that comes here to enjoy the
game and have fun. Amateur player numbers are down because firstly, it is too
expensive and secondly, the game is too slow. We need to change that.”



Woods has been an icon for golf for two decades, despite injuries that kept him out of the game for long periods.



His attacking style of play and immense ability have drawn a huge fan base, including many people who would not be considered traditional golf fans.



Player believes that somewhere out there is South Africa’s own Tiger Woods and that it is only through facilities like the Soweto Country Club that they can be found.



“It depends if a person has got what I call ‘it’ and very few do have that. In the history of golf, there have probably been about 14 superstars, which are players that have won at least six Majors in my opinion. They had something that was different to others. 



“Clubs around the country should tell aspiring young players from poor backgrounds that they can come play early in the morning, or late in the evenings, whatever the case may be, to help them improve. 



“And with the right coaching, I am very hopeful that we can produce a champion.”



South African golfers have won 22 Major titles, the fourth highest of any nation behind the United States (270), Scotland (55) and England(35).



Player heads the list with his nine triumphs, followed by Bobby Locke and Ernie Els with four each, Retief Goosen (two), Trevor Immelman, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel are the other winners.



The Soweto Country Club may be the best chance yet to produce a first black champion.



-Nick Said

gettyimages-1004496342-594×594

Grass Is Greener In Soweto For Golf Legend Gary Player

He’s the elder statesman of golf in South Africa who fought his way up from nothing. He has 165 worldwide tournament victories, including nine major championships. The man they call the Black Knight, who has gained so much from the game, now wants to give back.
At the Zimbali Country Club in KwaZulu Natal, where he was host to the Gary Player Invitational in November, 2012, Player, 78, talks about his round the previous day.
“Yesterday, I spent the day with this young boy with lupus and I changed his life, but he also changed my life. He was smiling throughout and I thought to myself, ‘Here’s a guy who could die any minute,’ yet he was smiling the whole way. The problems you think you have are not really that bad and that brings things into reality,” says the legendary golfer.
Player started out as a poor kid in Booysens, south of Johannesburg, who began playing golf at the nearby South Downs Country Club. Later, he began dating the daughter of the greenskeeper and today they have 21 grandchildren.
“Gratitude is the mother of all attributes. When I check out of a hotel these days, I say thank you for the bath, toilet and the bed because most people in the world don’t have those things. The sense of entitlement is something we have to be very careful of in the world we live in today. Nobody’s entitled to anything. You have to go and work for it and earn it.
“Thank goodness I was a very poor boy and… I really struggled. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. That’s the reason I became a world champion. So many people have so much ability and never become world champions because they’ve never had to really endure any real adversity,” he says.
When Player completed the grand slam, all four grand slam titles, by winning the US Open in 1965, he famously gave his winner’s cheque back to the organizers, saying it should go to cancer research and the development of junior golf programs by the United States Golf Association. As his regular playing career came to an end, he formed the Player Foundation, which has raised more than $50 million to help alleviate poverty globally.
“At my age, to get on a plane and fly to China, India, Dubai, America, Europe and then to South Africa is not easy. Every time I do that, I seem to get invigorated when I see what’s happening. I go to India and I do a golf clinic with 300 young Indians. You go to China and—with Coca-Cola being this phenomenal sponsor—you raise 20 million RMB ($3,2 million) for children with AIDS, and you see these kids with no mother and father; and they’re living with their grandfather. You see things that are so sad and you are able to help them in their lives. It’s very gratifying,” he says.
“That’s why golf and golfers are the greatest catalyst for raising money. The American PGA tour will have raised $2 billion by 2014—more than any other team sports put together. Most pro golfers have a charity and are giving back, and I think this is fantastic.”
While Player’s major wins account for a large portion of South Africa’s major tally, the Rainbow Nation has experienced a surge in victories post-1992. South African golfers have won nine majors since then, including a major in 2012, 2011 and 2010. Player puts this dominance on the world stage down to structures in South Africa.
“South Africa is remarkable for a small country. We’ve won more major championships than any country post-war; other than the United States. We have a lot of golf academies. I have the Gary Player Golf academy at the World of Golf in Johannesburg, we have Ernie Els’ academy and we have Louis Oosthuizen who has started one now. Sally Little is trying to get things going for the ladies,” he says.
“We have the right system here; we have the right climate and the right golf courses. Our guys have done so well and they’re great ambassadors for our country… Golf is played in almost every country I know; so the coverage we are getting is fantastic.”
As for the performances of South African golfers in 2012, Player said he was pleased in particular with Ernie Els’ win at the Open.
He noted in particular the way the golfer known as ‘The Big Easy’ played the 72nd hole, which he birdied to ultimately seal the win over Australian Adam Scott.
“Watching the British Open was interesting. He came to the last hole and his course management was brilliant. Ernie said to himself, ‘If I birdie this hole, I have an outside chance of winning.’ And that’s just what he did.”
Player has often been asked what his greatest achievement in the game is and he always gives the same answer.
“Winning the grand slam as a senior… There are five of us that won the grand slam on the regular tour, but I’m the only one that’s won the grand slam on the senior tour. No rugby player, no cricket player, no tennis player, no other sportsman is playing their sport at that age with any success. It is a bit easier to do that in golf than other sports, but to go there after 50 and win the senior grand slam; that is my great joy. I never take that for granted. It’s a gift from the man above.”
Player will be remembered for his majors; he may want to be remembered for his charity, but there is no doubt he will leave behind a legacy as a humble boy from Booysens who took on the world and won.   FL

2013 Gary Player Invitational: Pro-Am

The Poor Boy  Who Became  The Black Knight

The diamond, beautiful and rare, must first endure searing temperatures, immense pressure and the cut before it is polished to shine. For Jenna Clifford this sounds like her life.
&nbsp;
<h4>The Diamond Is Pressurized</h4>
Clifford was born in a time when patriarchy was first and women second. She was an only child who endured great pressure from her father, who often told her that if she wasn’t number one she was a failure.
“My father was really the guy that might have broken me as a child but it stood me in very good stead for the pain that business can bring.”
Her father was inspired by South African golfing champion Gary Player who borrowed the saying: “The harder I work, the luckier I get,” from American producer Samuel Goldwyn.
Her father pushed her into the deep end and hoped it would teach her discipline.
“For anyone, getting to the top of any field or any faculty, sport [allows one] to get their head and physicality into dedication, drive and sticking at it even when you cry… Business is the sport of the mind. Sport is the business of the body.”
&nbsp;
<h4>The Diamond Is Chiseled</h4>
Despite this, at 19, a naive Clifford fell prey to the so called ‘Cinderella Complex’—all she wanted was to find a prince charming, who would love and look after her. After two failed marriages, she found that a fairy tale can often be grim.
“In my lifetime, I’ve had three unions. The first one I was just under 20 and then again I got married in 1987, then again in 1993, which has been about a 23-year relationship.”
Clifford’s struggles with men were not limited to her personal life.
“When you rise as a female, you will be challenged by your male counterparts. They can’t challenge your acumen and your efficiency in what you do, but they can challenge your being, as a woman, and hit your emotional bodies to get control or compliance, which is a very subtle way of getting compliance. Other women get violent compliance… it doesn’t just happen to women who are necessarily rural and un-educated, it happens in the highest order of society.”
Along the way, Clifford has learnt from the enemy.
“I just find that I fit in better with the male counterpart from a head space point of view. I love the way men focus. They don’t pick 16 things to do, they pick one and the number two will normally be their lifestyle sport or car racing or rugby…”
Another major problem is that women tend to find it harder to support each other.
“When you keep women weak, meaning break them one by one, they can’t stand as a collective. It’s as simple as that. Women are scared to stand as a collective… and it usually takes someone like me, that’s had men shape their life destructively and possibly turned it into a positive thing.”
One of Clifford’s inspirations is Nelson Mandela, who left a lasting impression on her.
“The humility, the kindness… Color is nothing that he sees, he sees the individual… He stuck to a dream irrespective to the punishment. It’s the same principal of greatness; he just had to go through 29 years of hell to get there.”
&nbsp;
<h4>The Diamond Is Polished</h4>
Clifford has made peace with her past, and acknowledges its role in shaping her life. With a successful jewelry company that has international clients—including Celine Dion and Debra Messing—three loving daughters and a husband, life could not be better. As for getting on with her father’s generation?
“With strong patriarchs, my age group to my father’s age group, I get along with them exceptionally well now, because they don’t treat me like a woman. They think of me as a different being. So, I’m now okay for them because, in their minds, I’ve achieved success.”
Dedicated to the empowerment of women, Clifford will be collaborating with Doctor Dorianne Cara Weil, Professor Shirley Zinn, Dion Chang and Doctor Marko Saravanja, in a new venture called Inner Genius. The project will allow women to interact with these mentors, who will advise them on how to succeed in their personal and professional lives.
Surely, it is worth listening to Clifford, a cut in polished
diamond.

Tag: Gary Player

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

True Sport: Gary Player On Family, Isolation And The Covid-19 Aftermath

Grass Is Greener In Soweto For Golf Legend Gary Player

The Poor Boy Who Became The Black Knight

A Glint Of Feminist Fire