David Black is the South African PGA's oldest member, having celebrated his 94th birthday on 15 January 

BY SIMON OSLER​​​​​​​ 

When Brews retired in 1953, Black took over as the head professional and the following year he appointed an 18-year-old Gary Player as his assistant pro ... and they have been friends for more than 70 years.

Black recalled one very wet day when a game was rained out, while he and the others showered and retired to the bar, Player was nowhere to be found. Eventually the Black Knight was located on the practice area in the pouring rain. When asked why he was out there in the wet, Player replied that perhaps one day he might be in with a chance of winning the Open Championship in torrential conditions and was just making sure he was prepared for all eventualities.

'He is the best player I ever saw,' says Black. The 94-year-old mentioned a vast array of contemporaries of his, all with their own strengths and weaknesses, but Black believed Player had it all, including a competitive drive second to none.

Black continued to build his professional business and providing lessons to golfers young and old. He also took up the position of SA PGA president and welcomed Arnold Palmer to the country for a series of promotional events with Player.

Black and his colleague Jimmy Dove travelled the country promoting the game and arranging sponsorships for PGA events. After completing a tournament in Durban, Black and Wally Hyam decided to drive straight back to Johannesburg during the night in their little Morris Minor. Hyam fell asleep at the wheel and the pair were woken by the sounds of the car hitting the bollards at the side of the road. The final bollard had prevented the car from going over the edge of a cliff, and with the car teetering on the precipice, they carefully extricated themselves.

'There's no better game to be involved in. Everyone can learn to play (golf) at some level. And that means that everyone can become part of the golfing family.'

In 1969 the old TAC was moved to make way for the M1 freeway and the new Killarney Country Club was built adjacent to the new road. Black felt that the course should be redesigned and brought out the legendary Robert Trent Jones, who he had met at the 1967 US Open, to tackle the project. Unfortunately, some of the club members did not see eye to eye with Jones and the American withdrew halfway through the rebuild. Black then resigned without anywhere to go to.

It was not long however before his skills and talents were called upon, this time at the Houghton Country Club, to succeed Sid Brews (Jock's brother) as the head professional in 1970. His business flourished there and among his more famous assistant professionals were Peter Dawson (the first left-hander to play in the Ryder Cup for Great Britain and Ireland), well-known international golf coach David Leadbetter, Jamie Gough and Richard Ayers.

Along with a busy teaching business and a growing Houghton club, Black became involved in a wholesale equipment business called Pro Golf which helped club professionals to compete with the new off-course retail discount chains. He also grew a personalised golf and sports attire business and offered companies the chance to have their own brands on gifts and sportswear.

He decided to retire around 1986 to move to Plettenberg Bay ... but that only lasted for 18 months before the pull of the game and its people lured him back to Johannesburg. He set up the David Black Golf company and imported many major brands, including Bridgestone, Tommy Armour, Ping, Mark Scott clothing and Cleveland equipment.

Eventually Black decided to merge with Treger Golf, and he finally retired in September 2003.

'There's no better game to be involved in,' reckons Black. 'Everyone can learn to play it at some level. And that means that everyone can become part of the golfing family.'

DAVID BLACK