For Vuyo Sontsonga, golf is fun and a stress release. He loves playing golf and hopes to some day be a member of a golf club, as well as take part in golf challenges.

At 59 years old, Vuyo Sontsonga plays golf from 2 to 6pm every day of the week, on a field along the N2 and Borchards Quarry Road, in Crossroads.

Vuyo saved for six months to buy his first set of clubs for R96 in 1986. Since then he has been an active golf player. Starting out as a caddie in 1970, Vuyo worked at the Royal Cape Golf Club in Wynberg for R4 a day. Despite his low pay, it was through caddieing that Vuyo grew to love golf.

Vuyo was born in 1956 in Nyanga. He has been playing golf for nearly 30 years.

Before heading out from his home in Europe, Nyanga to play golf, Vuyo works as a plasterer in and around Nyanga. Vuyo intentionally takes smaller jobs that allow him to work from about 8 to 11am so that his afternoons can be spent improving his golf skills.

Vuyo says he currently has about 50 golf balls and rarely buys balls brand new. Rather, he buys lost balls, that people have collected from golf courses, as they are much cheaper.

Vuyo’s current set of clubs include an “old fashioned” driver, a 7 iron, a 5 wood, and a pitching wedge. He says that some of the people who have seen him playing golf on the field have dropped off clubs and other equipment for him, for which he is grateful.

Vuyo's "old fashioned" driver.

Commenting on the Borchards Quarry field, Vuyo says he has “made his own driving range” by setting up a flagpole at which he aims his strokes. Vuyo has been coming to his driving range for more than ten years.

Vuyo picks up golf balls around the flagpole he put up.

Sundays are especially enjoyable for Vuyo as his friend, Kenny, from Mitchells Plain, picks him up and takes him to play a round of golf at King David Golf Club in Montana. Vuyo says that Kenny first noticed him when he saw Vuyo driving balls on the field in Crossroads. He then invited Vuyo to come and join him, and about ten other members at the Club, for a game of golf.

Vuyo's improvised tee.

Vuyo says the main thing holding him back is the high cost of golf club membership. He says that membership at a golf club can save you a lot of money as a game of golf will cost about R350, while membership, which allows unlimited play, is approximately R4,000 a year. Membership also gains you access to various golf challenges that happen all across Cape Town.

Vuyo tees off a ball before striking it towards the flagpole.

Vuyo is confident that he can do well in the golf challenges and continue to improve his skills, but to do so, he needs someone to sponsor his membership fees. Vuyo says he cannot afford to pay the membership fees, but says he can afford the taxi fare to the clubs, if someone pays for his membership.

Vuyo wheels away his golf equipment, towards his home in Nyanga, after hours of golfing.

When asked how long he will continue to play golf, Vuyo said, "it was something I learned when I was young; I will continue as long as I can."

This Google map shows where you can find Vuyo playing golf most afternoons.

UPDATE: Following the publication of this article, Bidvest bought membership for Vuyo at King David Golf Club. Read more..

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