SA Open champ’s big impact at Mitchell’s Plain GC

While the kids within the Mitchells Plain Golf Club (MPGC) programme love the sport and enjoy being out at the golf course, not many of them actually watch golf.

By Jehad Kasu of MPGC

And if they did decide to, I’m not even sure they’d search YouTube for local Pros. And this is something I’d like to change. We really need to edify and illuminate our local golf heroes and champions as much as the US does.

In the build-up to the Cell C Cape Town Open in association with HONOR, I received a message from Dylan Naidoo, a Pro Golfer on the Sunshine Tour: “Let’s organize some time with them during the Cape Town Open week? It’s always a tough week to find time but I’d like to make it a priority for an hour”.

This spontaneous voluntary outreach from Dylan came after he saw the Instagram teaser of our Real World Champions insert on SuperSport - A 5-minute feature on what MPGC is about, what we do, why we are doing it, and what our aspirations for the future are.

SuperSport’s Real World Champions storytelling campaign seeks to highlight the works and achievements of ordinary South Africans who have overcome challenging circumstances to become heroes in their respective communities.

MPGC’s episode, which has been in circulation on the sports broadcaster’s various channels including YouTube since the start of 2025, sheds light on what it takes for the club founded in 2019 to carve out future golf stars.

I thought, “Wow! What character and sense of duty this young man exhibits in the midst of his preparation to try and win a golf tournament.” 

A few WhatsApp messages later we arranged a time to meet at Rondebosch Golf Club, MPGC’s home away from home where our kids get trained by PGA-qualified coaches every Monday, to help improve their playing ability.

A PRO IS COMING?!

When I notified the parents in our WhatsApp group about the clinic Dylan would be conducting with their kids, elaborating a bit on his profile, they responded with exclamations of excitement and disbelief, “Really? A Pro?” was some of the feedback received. And I’m pretty sure none of them even knew who he was. But they were just so excited that their child would get to meet a Pro golfer.

None of us knew that weeks after this clinic, Dylan would become the first South African person of colour to lift the SA Open in Durban at the start of March.

Catch Dylan in the Serengeti Playoffs on the Sunshine Tour this Saturday, 22 March (2pm CAT) and Sunday, 23 March (12:30pm), only on SuperSport...

But back in Cape Town, I didn’t know what kind of reaction or engagement Dylan would receive from the children, because many of them lacked confidence and appeared withdrawn, while they simply tried to remain out of the spotlight. Our children are also often much better at golf than they tend to realise.

Some kids did Google him and were super excited to meet him – and that certainly presented on their faces when they did.

Dylan was in his element, much like when he is playing golf. He approached kids with kindness and purpose, and they could sense he was there to help. So much so that soon enough it felt as if he was one of us.

I introduced him to some of the better players, who appreciated and benefitted from a bit of 1-on-1 advice. And boy did they!

Hi-5s were flying all over the place!

I, too, was secretly taking tips of my own (LOL) – make hay while the sun shines, right?

ASTONISHING REALITY

The kids and the observing parents present at the clinic had an incredible time learning, taking pictures, and appreciating having a Pro there to impart some sought after advice that is otherwise hard for them to come by.

As I stood back and watched it all unfold, I thought of my own childhood, and how I would have relished an opportunity like this. So, seeing all this unfold makes me feel as if progress is happening, albeit slow.

Thankfully, since MPGC’s Real World Champions debut on national television and online, more people have become aware of the work we’re doing and are reaching out from as far as Franschhoek and Thailand (yes, Thailand!) to support us in one way or another, almost every week – it’s an astonishing reality and we’re so pleased with the positive impact it’s having for our budding young golfers.

Equipment, shoes, and transport services are some of the offers that have since come our way, and we thank all our well-wishers and supporters for seeing us.

A NINE-HOLE COURSE?

Even the Minister of Culture Arts & Sports in the Western Cape, the honourable Ricardo MacKenzie, has now become aware of our work and has ambitions to build a 9-hole golf course in Mitchell’s Plain and has extended his unequivocal support to help us achieve it – together.

Back to Dylan’s clinic and the impact it’s had on the kids. When Dylan won the SA Open in a dominant display of prowess over the rest of the field, I was overcome with joy and hope through what it symbolised. 

A PRO-PRO?!!

And I could not wait to tell the kids about it. I showed them pictures of him holding his trophy and the articles written about him, and then it clicked for the rest of them, as one of them remarked, “So Dylan is a Pro-Pro?!”.

Indeed, he is. And what an incredible role model he is for all aspiring golfers who might not think golf at any professional level is within reach.

I congratulate Dylan on his historic win and appreciate him for the perfect example he is to many current and future youth who are and will be inspired by him.

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The Real World Champions campaign platforms and celebrates ordinary South Africans doing extraordinary things through their love of sport.

If you know anyone you believe would fit this bill, be sure to nominate them by writing a motivation in no more than 500 words and submitting it to realworldchamps@supersport.com.

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