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Thursday, April 25, 2024

From the Founder’s Desk

It is an exciting and busy time at BSI. With Johannesburg showing off its summer weather, Jacaranda trees and lush green golf courses, our players are enjoying a full tournament stretch, after the stresses of recent exams. We have so many talented young players coming through our system, and I’ve never been more excited about the prospects from our academy. Our admissions department is also busier than ever with enrollment for 2022. Golf as a sport and career option really has had an amazing turnaround in popularity over the last year or so. Long may it continue.

Celebrating our student's successes

Jules Helary is shining
brighter than his trophy

Congratulations to BSI Academy player, Jules Helary, on winning the Central Gauteng Closed Trophy, with scores of 69, 67, 69 (-11) on the East Course at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington GC. The trophy is awarded to the highest finishing Central Gauteng player in the Central Gauteng Open, in which Jules finished 3rd.

Jules, from Reunion Island, has been at BSI since August 2016, moving through our Junior Academy, PGA Diploma and now our Academy Programme.

Jules Helary

Keeping up with our winners

BSI Tournament Result

Junior Academy Medal

Well done to Tawriq Abrahams and Michael Wallace for their joint win on Tuesday, 09 November 2021 in the Junior Academy Medal, with scores of 68 on Royal Johannesburg & Kensington West Course. This is a great sign of the consistency these young gentlemen are showing, as they are number 1 and 2 on the Order of Merit.

Michael Wallace and Tawriq Abrahams

Tawriq’s 68 was also a personal best for him on Royal West. Taylah James is also showing good improvements weekly and attained her personal best with an 85.

BSI Premier Medal

Congratulations to Heinrich Prinsloo on winning the Wednesday, 10 November 2021 BSI Golf Premier Medal, with a score of 72 on Royal Johannesburg and Kensington East Course. This win brings Heinrich right back into contention for the Order of Merit 2021, with only two medals and the Cycle 4 72-hole Championship to go.

Heinrich Prinsloo

Armand Muller had a personal best on Wednesday’s Premier Medal with a 76 – well done.

Matchplay Finals

The BSI Matchplay Champion
for 2021 is ...?

Three wins and ONE to go for Jules Helary or Ryan Estment!

Our finalists have been determined, and it all boils down to the winner taking it all over 36-holes on Thursday, 25 November 2021!

BSI Matchplay Champion 2021

Final: Thursday, 25 November

Ryan Estment

Jules Helary

Competition time!

External Tournaments

Harry Oppenheimer Trophy

Well done to Reece Mckain and Jules Helary, who both finished T7 in the Harry Oppenheimer Trophy at Maccauvlei GC last week. Congratulations also to Bernard Meyer, who took a T15 place, and Sean Paxton came in 36th.

Central Gauteng Open

Well done to Jules Helary on finishing 3rd place in the Central Gauteng Open. Other BSI player results; Reece Mckain T24, Heinrich Prinsloo T24, Bernard Meyer T29, Tawriq Abrahams T29, Sean Paxton T42, Grant Labuschagne T50, Vuyisani Makama T60

Jules (48th) and Reece (61st) have both made nice moves up the Golf RSA National Rankings over the last two weeks. Bernard Meyer remains our highest-ranked player in 28th.

Student Spotlight

Our Student Spotlight this week is on PGA Diploma Academy student Julia Jacobs. Julia has progressively improved her game, but more so, her confidence and understanding of the game. Read below as to what Julia has to say about her time at BSI:

“Personally, BSI helped me get my game on a better level, it helped me understand golf much better. Not only my golf, but as a person, it has grown me to become a better person. The facility has been great, the training equipment makes it much easier to work on your technique. The environment makes it more fun to practice, because seeing everyone else practicing encourages you as a person to work twice as hard.

The gym facility is where the work starts, and Renée has been a good help throughout my years in BSI. She always pushes you, and makes you train over your ability, and for that I'm grateful.

My swing has improved a lot. From the day I started here till now, there have been major changes, and throughout that, it came with a lot of frustrations and impatient feelings, and that's where I feel the mental sessions with Mark has helped me understand the dynamics of how long it can take to improve ones’ skills and get the right swing. Mark helped me understand that the game of golf can be frustrating, and there's certain things you have control over. He taught me to accept situations and move on from it, but most importantly to enjoy and make the most of it.

I've built a friendship over the years at BSI with Michelle Steyn, it really helped me, seeing another female as determined as I was to encourage me to train even harder. She has been very helpful in my game and she always encourages me to do my best. Also, academically she always offers a helping hand.

I will definitely remember BSI staff for the time and effort they made to help me as an individual. A special thank you to Mark, Renee and Coenie, for their help throughout the years they have been amazing and very helpful.”

Alumni News

Congratulations to BSI PGA Diploma Graduate, Gavin Vorster for winning the Clovelly CC PGA Pro-Am on Monday, 08 November 2021, with a score of 68.


Gavin Vorster	Phil Minkley

Another PGA Diploma graduate making us proud is Phil Minkley, who is working out in Saudi Arabia. Here he is being interviewed by GolfTV about the growth of junior golf in the region.

Drill to strike your irons better

Performance Tip

Performance Tip brought to you by Chris Wright – BSI PGA AAA grade Coach

Watch Chris’ video below on how using a simple drill to get you to strike your irons better.

Not Just Golf

BSI Football Academy – Junior Nations Cup

Last weekend, we hosted the inaugural Junior Nations Cup at our Football Campus in Modderfontein. We invited six local clubs to enter U12 teams, each representing a different nation; England, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Argentina and South Africa.

It was a wonderful family atmosphere, with around 150 spectators enjoying the matches and a great vibe with music, food and refreshments.

Family fun and strong competition

The teams played in a preliminary round-robin format with the two top teams, Portugal and Argentina going through to the finals. Well done to Portugal, who were eventually crowned ‘Nations Cup Champions 2021’

Team Portugal with BSI Coach Shuaib Walters looking on

BSI Football Academy Student Profile: Ernest Duran

Let’s hear what Namibian national Ernest has to say about his time at BSI:

“BSI has helped me realise that football is a craft, and to master that craft you have to practice every day.

For a person being away from home the coaches and staff at the Study Centre really made me feel at home and welcomed. Football-wise, I believe that the coaches really elevated my skills and mentality during this year.

My confidence and physical game have improved the most, because at the start of the year, I was quite scared to receive the ball, but now I welcome it. Regarding my mental game, I think it was just the fear of messing up during training or during a game, which would usually have me down, but now I tell myself to pick my head up and go again and try harder.

I’ve built a lot of strong friendships with my peers and my coaches and memories, which in the future I will definitely look back on.”