Along with 105 other founding members, Gary Player formed the Nomads Golf Club of South Africa in April 1960. He had already won his first Major, The Open Championship at Muirfield, the previous year, which was followed by another eight regular Majors, including, of course, the Grand Slam. His career professional wins spanned six continents over seven decades, and include the South African Open, which he won 13 times.

Despite his meteoric rise in world golf, Player appeared at regular monthly games at his Transvaal Nomads club. He was much loved by his fellow members and his name alone helped grow Nomads to the club it is today. Nomads have 12 clubs in South Africa and a further 14 in seven countries.

The Nomads Golf Club was originally formed to raise money for the National War fund, and the Nomads, including Player, raised money for the National War Memorial Health Foundation.

In 1962 it was decided to no longer donate money solely to the National War Fund, but to promote the furtherance of golf and those less fortunate. Player played a huge role in that decision.

Nomads do the scoring duties at Sunshine Tour events and the money they receive from the Tour is then spent on golf development among junior boys and girls, disabled golf and golf development among disadvantaged children.

Nomads have, in recent times, invested more than R50-million in GolfRSA-sanctioned events and projects. It is no secret that the Nomads funding helped hugely to expose juniors to competitive golf from an early age, and South Africa has produced many successful boys and girls over the years.

Player has continued to promote golf in South Africa, and the great Dale Hayes was recently quoted as saying: ‘Our Sunshine Tour pros should be saying a huge thank you every day to the people who have made the Sunshine Tour what it is today. Firstly, Gary Player, who supported the Sunshine Tour from day one, playing in at least four tournaments almost every year for the first 20 years.’

The South African great continues to follow amateur and professional golf in this country, and is hugely respected by our golfers.

Mr Player, as he’s known among all golfers around the world, is immensely proud of how the Nomads efforts over the years continued to grow golf in this country, after a humble start 65 years ago.

But it isn’t only golf that Nomads helped grow; they also raise funds for those less fortunate, raising more than R60-million for charities ranging from children’s homes, the aged, homeless people, children with cancer – to name but a few, and even animals.

Player continues to support children, with a school he started in 1990 with his late wife Vivienne being a prime example. Today, the Blair Atholl Pre-Primary School for disadvantaged children in Lanseria, Johannesburg is home to 125 children from poor backgrounds.

Player will be honored at a special Nomads function at Goose Valley in late November for his 65 years as a Nomad, and his contribution to golf and the society in this country.

HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS

1965
Gary Player (Transvaal)

1979
*Doug Perchey (Rhodesia)

1984
*Arthur Cox (Transvaal)

1985
*Andrew Mentis (Transvaal)

1994
*Arthur Ferneyhough
(N Transvaal)

1996
*Roel Germs (S Natal)

1996
*Joss Hamilton (Border)

2001
Les Floyd (Easterns)

2005
*Neale Kunhardt (E Cape)

2005
Mick Sugden (Natal)

2007
Alec Saunders (Gauteng)

2007
Doug Watson (Gauteng)

2010
Brian Cusins (Gauteng)

2020
Ken Walker (WP)

2020
Mark Philp (Boland)

2021
Gary Bray (Easterns)

2021
Vic Hall (Easterns)

2024
Robbie Frank (Easterns)

* denotes passed on

TYRONE WINFIELD/DEON VAN DER MERWE/SUNSHINE TOUR/TRISTAN JONES/MARK RUNNACLES/LET/ROBERT PERRY/EPA/BACKPAGEPIX/GOLFRSA