THE TELKOM SUPERSPORT SHOOTOUT – MORE THAN A GOLF EVENT

The 2016 edition of the Ladies’ Telkom SuperSport Shootout, saw two exciting changes. Firstly, a change in venue as the event made its way to the multi-award winning Legend Golf and Safari Resort in the beautiful Limpopo Province. There was plenty of novelty value for the participants, not least that each hole on the course was designed by a different professional golfer, with South African Major champions Trevor Immelman and Retief Goosen contributing the first and eighteenth holes respectively. While the luxurious feel of the tournament is always a given, the change from a coastal course to a bushveld one has revolutionised the ambiance while providing some breathtaking new scenery for the SuperSport cameras.

 

Secondly the ladies were invited to spend an additional night in the beautiful bushveld surrounds. Up until now the Ladies’ event has just incorporated a one-night stay, followed by a morning of golf and a prize-giving luncheon, the ladies have stayed true to their promise of growth and expansion by including a second night on their itinerary at Legend, meaning more time for business interaction and to explore all the delights on offer in and around the resort, including Big-5 game viewing, 4x4 trails and a sumptuous spa to name but a few.

 

The aim of the Shootout is to get representatives of South African sport, past and present, playing alongside senior figures from the political and business worlds. The event guarantees fun, competition and networking alongside the charity initiatives.

 

This year was the fourth edition of the Ladies Shootout which was founded – as was the men’s event 12 years back – by South African tennis legend Kevin Curren who is now the tournament director. Now his passion is golf (he's a two handicap) and raising money for charity and the Telkom SuperSport Shootout has become a must-do event for South African golfers who are in a position fortunate enough to help others. The three beneficiaries this year were the LIV Village, The Legend Sport and Educational Foundation and the Jacob G Zuma RDP Education Trust.

 

The leading ladies received a very warm welcome upon arrival at the Legend Golf and Safari Resort, where they walked away with an array of lovely gifts from the generous sponsors. The Polo goody bags, including gorgeous handbags, were a hit. The ladies also received beautiful gift packs from Nike Golf, Africology, Celltone and a special treat from Jenna Clifford. The complimentary massages and Ken Forrester bubbly set the tone for a memorable weekend.

 

The Ladies 2016 Telkom SuperSport Shootout Welcome Dinner was hosted by Carol Tshabalala and a highlight of the evening was a short cooking demonstration by popular celebrity chef, Sarah Graham, who also designed the evening’s menu, ensuring that the dinner was a culinary delight. The evening was a wonderful start to a most enjoyable stay and the camaraderie and forging of friendships was clearly evident by the fun the ladies had. 

 

The ladies golf kicked off early the following morning and incorporated an Individual Stableford competition as well as a Betterball competition. The 2016 Telkom SuperSport Shootout Individual Stableford was won by Greer Leo-Smith, a 7 handicap golfer who is a member of Drakensig Golf Club in Hoedspruit, on 33 points. Stephney Dames, from Country Club Johannesburg was second on a count-out with 30 points. Willemien Roetgers-Schulte from Tzaneen Golf Club came in third. Greer was also part of the winning Betterball team alongside Louisa Thomo with a score of 41 points, only 1 point clear of the runners-up, Connie Mashaba and Stephney Dames. In third place were Bongi Duma and Unathi Msengana with 37 points.

 

That concluded the golf side of the proceedings. More importantly, the event saw generous ladies digging deep into their pockets to help those less privileged than themselves during the Gala Dinner which was hosted by Unathi Msengana, a judge on Idols South Africa, who entertained the group with her vivacity and incredible charm. The ladies enjoyed the vocal stylings of the ever popular Majozi and it was concluded that the 2016 edition of the Ladies’ Telkom SuperSport Shootout was, once again, a roaring success!

 

That's what the Telkom SuperSport Shootout is all about. It's about giving, with a little bit of golf thrown in. It's proudly South African.