UPDATED: 26/02/2024
26 February 1966, Tony Jacklin sets the course record of 65 at the Kimberley golf course.
(Pictured is Jacklin in 1969 winning The Open Championship)
The famous British golfer Tony Jacklin, winner of the 1969 British Open Championship and the US Open the following year, set a new course record of 65 at the Kimberley Golf Club on Saturday 26 February 1966.
Tony Jacklin
This record of 65 was set on the final day of the Kimberley 4000, so called as De Beers Consolidated Mines had donated R4000 prize money for this professional golf tournament.
It was quite a field too, with Harold Henning, Bobby Locke, Graham Henning, Terry Westbrook, Cobie le Grange and Dennis Hutchinson amongst many others competing for the title, and of course, the money. It was the first professional tournament hosted in Kimberley since the South African Open Championship in 1913, played on the old course situated at what is now Monument Heights and the Kimberley Junior School.
Harold “Horse” Henning had set the course alight in the second round on 24 February by breaking Papwa Sewgolum and Anthony Manning’s course record of 68 by shooting a 66. He followed this up the next day (25th) by recording another 66, Terry Westbrook also shooting a 66 that day to share the record. A record which stood for 24 hours…
Teeing off very early on the last day – Henning had requested an early tee-off to enable him to catch a plane to another tournament in the Far East – he finished the tourney with a grand total of 273.
Jacklin’s remarkable record of 65 that final day saw him equal the 273 total, but as Henning had already left there could be no play-off and Jacklin was accorded the victory, the third of his then short career.
It is believed that the 273 total for the four rounds is still the Kimberley Golf Club record as such, but am open to correction.
Jacklin’s course record was shattered on 1 April 1989 in the Spoornet Classic by Hugh Baiocchi who shot a quite remarkable 63. This may have been broken subsequently.
UPDATED: 26/02/2018
26 February 1966, Tony Jacklin (pictured) sets the course record of 65 at the Kimberley golf course.
DID YOU KNOW
The then Argus Group owned Diamond Fields Advertiser moved to their premises on the corner of Bean and Villiers Street from Permanent Way in 1985, joining the well-established commercial printers, Northern Cape Printers.
Diamond Fields Advertiser Office (DFA)
The partnership worked well for the newspaper, as it was Northern Cape Printers that ceased to exist in 2000 when the works department closed completely. NCP had humble beginnings as Holroyd and Creer in 1914 on Crossman Road, and had moved to De Beers Road as Creer and Company in 1938. In 1951 they sold out to H.A. Herbert being re-named Northern Cape Press. Herbert, in turn, sold the business to the Argus Group of newspapers in 1958 when it was re-named Northern Cape Printers.
UPDATED: 26/02/2017
26 February 1966, Tony Jacklin (pictured) sets the course record of 65 at the Kimberley golf course.
DID YOU KNOW
That the Haskell’s Reading Room and Billiards Saloon was established in Jones Street (now Phakamile Mabija Road) in the late 1870s. These reading rooms did not serve alcohol and gambling was not permitted – thus creating a homely atmosphere where young men could have a relaxing evening with current literature and write their letters or journals.
Tony Jacklin sets Kimberley Golf Course Record
Billiards was extremely popular at the time, while the playing of draughts, chess, and cards was common, but not for money. Musical evenings were held regularly. When the various companies were amalgamated in 1888 to form De Beers Consolidated Mines, there were reading rooms for both the Kimberley and De Beers mine employees run by the company.
Haskell’s Reading Room is now part of the Kimberley Mine Museum.
From Kimberley Calls and Recalls on Facebook By Steve Lunderstedt
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