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SECOND

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A victory in the UK had far more significance to Andiswa Yolande Magatye than that trophy she received​​​​​​​ 

BY LALI STANDER​​​​​​​

When Andiswa Yolande Magatye stood proudly with the Stableford trophy after winning the English Disability Open at The Shire, it marked far more than an international golfing success. It was the culmination of a journey defined by resilience, generosity and an unwavering love for the game.


Only a few years earlier, the thought of competing on the international stage would have seemed unimaginable.


Yolande's story with golf began in 2003 as a caddie at Fancourt. At 27, she discovered more than just a workplace. She found a community and a game that quickly became part of her identity.


Four years later she joined neighbouring Kingswood Golf Estate as a Golf Operations Attendant, spending her days immersed in the sport she had grown to love. Between work and practice, her handicap steadily dropped to 15, and golf became a constant source of enjoyment and fulfilment.


Then, in 2018, everything changed.

Shortly after Val Holland founded the Fancourt Wanna Be a Champion Academy in April, Yolande moved across to work as a range attendant. What began as a seemingly insignificant spider bite on the top of her left foot developed into a severe infection in August. After months of hospital visits and unsuccessful treatment, doctors were left with no option but to amputate her left leg above the knee to save her life.


For someone whose life revolved around golf courses, the emotional impact was immense.


'The support of my family, my husband, my children and my golf mentor, Val Holland, helped me through the pain and suffering,' Yolande recalls. 'Their encouragement made me stronger and gave me a reason to fight. I must also thank the members and management at Fancourt, led by Ryan Reid. That was really where my disabled golf journey began.'


Those words only hint at the remarkable network of people who rallied around her.


Few coaches in South African golf enjoy the reputation of Val Holland. Recognising how much the game meant to Yolande, Holland went well beyond coaching.


'I was abroad when this happened to Yolande, and when I came back from overseas, I went to see her in hospital,' Holland said. 'She looked at me with tears running down her cheeks and said, 'I'm never going to play golf again.'


'Choking back my own tears, I told her, 'Yolande, you are going to play disabled golf and you are going to become a champion.''


Holland mobilised members within her network to raise R300 000 for a prosthetic leg and arranged physiotherapy with Sandra Winter, giving Yolande the opportunity to rebuild both her mobility and her confidence.

Fancourt, meanwhile, continued to provide something equally valuable: a golfing home. Club membership gave Yolande the opportunity to return to the practice tee and, in many ways, rediscover herself.


Learning to play golf again with a prosthetic leg was anything but straightforward. Every aspect of her swing had to be adapted to a completely different set of movement patterns. It demanded patience, determination and countless hours of practice.


Slowly but surely, progress followed and, as her confidence returned, so too did her competitive ambitions.


The South African Disabled Golf Association became another important part of her journey, while the Southern Cape Golf Union provided opportunities to compete locally and measure her progress. At home, her husband, Mtu, a former Sunshine Tour caddie, encouraged her to embrace tournament golf, recognising how important the game had become to her rehabilitation.


By 2025, the support around Yolande continued to grow. Fancourt members stepped forward once again, covering her tournament entry fees, travel and accommodation so she could compete around South Africa. Their investment was rewarded almost immediately.


Yolande claimed victory in the Cape Town Disabled Open before adding the Canon Champion of Champions title. By the end of the season, she had secured the SAGDB Women's Order of Merit, earning further support from GolfRSA and opening the door to international competition.


That opportunity came in 2026 at the English Disability Open.

Disability Awareness Month

National Disability Rights Awareness Month is observed annually in South Africa from 3 November and ends on 3 December – the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The month-long campaign focuses on raising public awareness, challenging systemic barriers, and celebrating the achievements of people with disabilities. It provides a vital platform to advocate for equal rights, accessibility, and economic inclusion across all sectors of society.

The initiative encourages communities and businesses to remove physical and social obstacles. Ultimately, the month reinforces the commitment to dignity, equity, and full human rights for every citizen.

Once again, the Fancourt community ensured she would not make the journey alone, raising funds to enable Mtu to accompany her to England. Thousands of kilometres from George, Yolande produced the finest performance of her golfing career, winning the Stableford Division by four points to claim her first international title.


For everyone who had played a part in her journey, it was a victory shared.


Today, Yolande remains part of the Fancourt family, although her role has changed. She now works in administration rather than on the golf course itself, continuing to contribute to the club that has supported her through every chapter of her remarkable story.


Her ambitions, however, are far from fulfilled.


With domestic and international success now behind her, she has set her sights on an even bigger dream: representing South Africa at the Paralympic Games should golf one day become part of the programme.


For Yolande, that dream feels no more impossible than returning to competitive golf once seemed.


Her story has never really been about trophies. They are simply milestones along a much greater journey of perseverance, hope and the extraordinary impact a golfing community can have when it comes together behind one of its own.


If there is one message she hopes others take from her experience, it is this: 'Being disabled does not mean the end of your dreams. It should be the motivation to keep striving for them and pursuing them.'

THE champs

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