MY OTHER LOVE
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ball game
Springbok World Cup-winner Bryan Habana has a love for the game of golf which runs deep, but his index of 17 doesn't match his lofty ambitions
BY GRANT SHUB
Bryan Habana, who played 124 Tests for the Springboks and scored 67 tries, absolutely loves the game of golf. However, he says that he was at the back of the queue when the golf genes were handed out. He has remained at double digits in terms of his index and, as a former professional athlete, it's something that infuriates Habana because he is extremely competitive.
'My lowest handicap has been 13 and that was almost 15 years ago when I was playing once a week,' he says. 'I always say my handicap is golf as I don't practice or play enough.'
Habana, who loves the life skills that golf teaches him, recalls his first memory of the sport was when he saw Gary Player, who was also an alma mater of King Edwards VII School, tear it up on the senior tour. He also enjoyed watching Ernie Els dominate in the 1990s and put South Africa on the map.
Later on, Habana recalls Super Rugby tours to New Zealand where he and his provincial teammates would gather in the team room to watch the likes of Charl Schwartzel win the Masters.
'What I love about golf is that it teaches you a next-shot mentality,' he says. 'It's about not worrying about what has just happened.'
In terms of the parallels between golf and rugby, Habana underlines that there are similarities from a discipline perspective. He also speaks to the reverence for rules in golf and says that it mirrors the values and respect within the game of rugby.
However, Habana also enjoys the social element of golf and he often played Zoo Golf. It's a game which involves snakes, camels, baboons and sharks. A snake is a three-putt, a camel is if you find yourself in a bunker, a baboon is if you are out of bounds or in the rough and a shark if you are in the water. Habana often ended up being the whole zoo which led to him paying hefty fines.
Life after rugby has afforded Habana the opportunity to network on the golf course and engage with clients, partners and business associates alike. He was at the 150th Open Championship in 2022 when Cameron Smith won the Claret Jug at St Andrews. Two years ago, Habana visited Royal Troon, but the iconic Masters at Augusta National remains at the summit of his bucket list.
Habana rubbed shoulders with the likes of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama and Jason Day at The Challenge: Japan Skins in 2019 at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club.
'It was probably one of the most frightening and yet epic experiences of my life,' he says. 'It was extremely daunting, but one of the most surreal moments for me.'
On that day Habana flushed the ball decently with adrenaline flowing, and then jumped on Matsuyama, who was his partner for that hole.
In October 2025, Habana came on board as an ambassador of the Southern Guards GC. He says he's in favour of how LIV is developing South African golf.
'I love positive disruption and what LIV has done is raise the stakes in golf,' says the Springboks' all-time leading try-scorer. 'It has now brought some of the best golfers in the world to areas they had never previously travelled and LIV South Africa 2026 was an absolutely phenomenal experience.'
Habana says that he was enthused by seeing a new audience introduced to golf and even come out in their numbers in the rain on the last day. 'There is always going to be a distinct ideology around LIV, but it's good seeing CEO Scott O'Neil direct the ship in tumultuous times,' he says. 'No one is sure what the future holds but LIV 2026 in South Africa will be remembered forever.'
Habana says that what the Southern Guards GC has given South Africa is that Ubuntu spirit, which he feels they have carried with plenty of pride.'To watch Branden (Grace), Charl (Schwartzel), Dean (Burmester) and Louis (Oosthuizen) playing their hearts out, and letting golf touch new audiences with the other LIV players, was great.'
In terms of past Springbok teammates who play golf, Habana rates the likes of Franco Mostert, Schalk Brits and Fourie du Preez as competitive as they come. He adds that he has never seen someone who can hit a 4-iron as solidly and consistently as Schalk Burger Junior does off the tee, and Butch James remains the former Springbok who can bomb some of the longest drives.
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