'The Germiston Giant' Phil Simmons dies
He was 71.
Phil Simmons began his journey with the PGA in 1970, apprenticing under Graham Roebert at Pretoria Country Club.
He became a Full PGA Professional in 1972 and went on to serve the game for over five decades, leaving a profound impact on everyone he encountered. 🏆 PGA National Championship Trophy Winner – 1989 & 1997
– 1989 & 1997 🏅 PGA Club Pro of the Year – 1998
– 1998 👨🏫 PGA Life Member – inducted in 2008
– inducted in 2008 🥇 PGA Master Professional – awarded in 2009, the Association's highest honour Germiston Golf Club (1972-2001)
Fondly known as 'The Germiston Giant' , Simmons spent nearly 30 years shaping talent and community at this club
Fondly known as , Simmons spent nearly 30 years shaping talent and community at this club Mount Edgecombe (2001-2015)
Served as Golf Director , elevating the club's reputation and mentoring numerous young professionals
Served as , elevating the club's reputation and mentoring numerous young professionals Randpark Golf Club (2016-2018)
Returned to Gauteng and continued to share his wisdom and experience
Returned to Gauteng and continued to share his wisdom and experience Gowrie Farm (2018-2023)
Stayed active in the game until ill health brought his career to an end
Phil Simmons wasn't just a golf professional – he was a mentor, leader, and pillar of the PGA.
His service on the PGA National Board Committee and his unwavering passion for the game earned him the admiration and respect of countless players and colleagues.
His influence reaches far beyond fairways and clubhouses, touching the lives of generations of golfers.
Deepest sympathies go to his beloved wife Joanni, his children, grandchildren, and all his family and friends.
The golfing world has lost a true legend.
'Rest in peace, Phil. Your legacy will live on in every swing, every lesson, and every life you shaped' – Your PGA of South Africa Family Post your condolences below by …
Leaving a comment below, or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
10 minutes ago
- IOL News
Proteas aspire to have Springboks' image and impact, says Temba Bavuma
Proteas Test captain Temba Bavuma holds aloft the ICC mace on the world champions' open-top bus parade through the streets of Langa last week. Image: Picture: Henk Kruger / Independent Media Proteas Test and ODI captain Temba Bavuma says the team aspires to have the same impact as the Springboks, both in South Africa and on the global stage. Following the Proteas' historic victory at Lord's in the World Test Championship final, cricket has seen a resurgence in popularity, with fans across the country rallying behind the sport once again. Despite this renewed support, Bavuma and his teammates understand that there's still a long journey ahead to reach their ultimate goal: achieving the same level of national and international esteem as the Springboks. 'I think within rugby, all of us look at the rugby guys — whenever they go to a world event, there's proper belief that the guys can go all the way. We've seen it countless times, so that expectation is high,' Bavuma said. 'From a South African cricketing point of view, yes, we might go there with hope, but there's probably a part of the fan base that isn't fully convinced. I think with what we've achieved, particularly winning the WTC Final, that belief is growing. Now, expectations are going to be higher and higher.' Bavuma added that the team is aware of the rising pressure, with fans now expecting consistent performances across formats — including at next year's T20 World Cup and the upcoming 50-over World Cup. 'There will be a shift — a shift in trust and faith — but that comes with a certain level of pressure that we, as players, need to live up to.' "I think also, as South Africans, we are probably a bit more on the conservative side. I think a lot of the players, you find that they get celebrated a lot more outside of South African shows than they do here back home, and I think that's just our culture, South Africans. "I mean if you think of success, if you think of success in sport, you think of rugby, you look at the way the rugby, they've been able to go about their business, really embracing what it means being South African, being unequivocal about their positions on any narratives and then obviously the excellence that they show on the field, I think that's the biggest thing. "Yes, we understand we want to unite the people, but you can't do that if you don't have the success behind you, so I think that's why rugby is seen in that light. Rather than cricket, we are slowly but surely getting closer to that, that's part of our, I guess, vision as a team, and we'd like to be in three, four years to see where we land in terms of that." A week ago, Bavuma and the Proteas Test team took the Test mace to Langa, where the 35-year-old was born and bred. Having seen the support that they received in their trophy parade in Langa, Bavuma got to understand just how big the impact of their victory has had in the country. "I think it gets bigger and bigger every time I have an opportunity to kind of meet people on the ground. Last week I saw some of the players, we got to go to Langa, experience the community but also the emotion about the role, and I think that experience for a lot of us was heartwarming, it was emotional but really gave us a proper essence of what we've done as a team," said Bavuma. "I think as time goes by, we still have another year and a half to celebrate being the champions. I think that will add a lot more, but again, see everyone here, everyone's happy when the Mace came out. I think we've really done something special as this group."
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Stellenbosch FC chief Rob Benadie: How SA can become a continental powerhouse again
Stellenbosch FC chief executive Rob Benadie says South African football can be a continental powerhouse if they sort out the off-field issues. Image: Backpagepix In the ever-turbulent world of South African football, few voices speak with as much calm, clarity, and measured insight as Rob Benadie, CEO of Stellenbosch FC. As his club prepares for another competitive Betway Premiership season, Benadie's reflections offer not only a window into the ambitions of a growing club but also a pointed commentary on the state of football in the country. Speaking during an interview with the South African Football Journalists Association (Safja), Benadie was characteristically open, outlining both the footballing and operational blueprint of a club that has steadily emerged from the Cape Winelands to become a respected force in the PSL. 'We go into the season usually as one of the better-prepared clubs,' Benadie noted. 'We try to do everything we can to ensure we're ready — from pre-season training camps to scouting smartly.' Indeed, the club's approach to recruitment is methodical. While Stellenbosch FC lost key players such as Ismael Toure, Fawaaz Basadien and Sihle Nduli, Benadie is confident in their replacements — a Belgian centre-back, a left-back from Azerbaijan, and depth in midfield, including the arrival of midfield dynamo Khiba. 'We're confident in our scouting process,' Benadie explained. 'Our recruitment uses data, video analysis, and coach consultations. We don't just sign names — we sign players who fit our style.' This measured approach extends off the field as well, particularly in an era when financial mismanagement plagues many clubs. Unlike some of their bigger rivals, Stellenbosch FC is not a club throwing money at problems. 'We don't pay exorbitant salaries,' Benadie said candidly. 'But we do offer a conducive environment for players to grow, compete, and be seen by bigger clubs. Our players know they're in the shop window.' In fact, Stellenbosch's model — modest salaries, focused development, and consistent exposure — has made it a destination of choice for ambitious talent. The club's use of platforms like TransferRoom, which connects clubs globally for transfer dealings, is just one example of their forward-thinking approach. 'We're not here to hoard talent,' Benadie stated. 'If a player can go overseas or to a bigger local club, that's a win for us too. We focus on long-term sustainability.' Yet, even with their success, there remain frustrations — particularly with the lack of proper stadium access and infrastructure support in the Western Cape. For now, they'll play their MTN8 fixtures at Cape Town Stadium due to poor pitch conditions at Danie Craven Stadium. It's far from ideal, but Benadie sees a longer-term solution in the works. With the backing of major shareholder Remgro, the club is in advanced negotiations with the Stellenbosch Municipality to take over the historic Van der Stel Sports Grounds — with the intention of building a purpose-fit stadium and high-performance training centre. 'We envision a facility with an 8,000 to 10,000-seater stadium — that's more than enough for PSL matches,' said Benadie. 'We want to create a home-ground advantage, like Wits did when they won the league. That kind of intimacy can be a weapon.' The project, expected to cost tens of millions of rands, will also house development infrastructure, possibly making Stellenbosch a genuine academy powerhouse. While timelines stretch into 2026, the long-term thinking is clear — this is a club laying down roots for the future. And what of that future? For Benadie, the dream is both local and continental. He openly admires Morocco's recent rise in African football and points to their investment in elite youth academies as a key reason. 'When we visited RS Berkane, we saw the future of African football. Their academy had 400 kids living and breathing football,' he recalled. 'We want to do the same — build the best academy in Africa, right here in Stellenbosch.' But he's also clear-eyed about the broader challenges in South African football — administrative bungling, governance failures, and missed opportunities.
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Hands off the Currie Cup . . . It is the lifeblood of South African rugby
FILE - The Sharks beat the Lions in last year's Currie Cup final. Image: Backpagepix If I had ten bucks for every voice I've heard trashing the Currie Cup, I could have a well-stuffed couch. But my opinion is that the domestic competition is as rich as ever — and must be treasured. While the Currie Cup is no longer the chief prize in our rugby, life goes on, and it remains a national treasure. Eddie Jones, the former coach of too many teams to mention — but widely respected — once said that South Africa's trump card against the rugby world is the Currie Cup, a competition rivaled only by New Zealand's National Provincial Championship. Jones highlighted that the annual Currie Cup produces future Springboks through a second-tier competition that most rugby nations simply do not have. The words 'second tier' will rankle with traditionalists, who hearken back to the days of yore when the Currie Cup was everything in South Africa. I'm talking about the people who say the Cup should be put in a museum and revered for what it once was. To these people, I say: hang on — let's reframe this. Yes, the Currie Cup doesn't have the bang it once did in the days when Naas Botha and Frik du Preez won titles for Northern Transvaal before adoring masses. But those were the days when the Currie Cup was all South Africa had, as isolation starved the Springboks of international competition. To be fair, the Currie Cup's allure endured into the professional era, and up until about ten years ago, the major unions still coveted the trophy as much as they ever did. But that has changed. There are now bigger fish to fry for the likes of the Stormers, Sharks, Lions, and Bulls in their European competitions — but that doesn't mean the Currie Cup should be shelved. It just needs to be seen from a different perspective and valued for its contribution to the health of South African rugby. The history of the actual Currie Cup trophy gives merit to why it should be cherished. In 1891, the British Isles team touring South Africa brought with them a golden cup given to them by Sir Donald Currie, owner of Union-Castle Lines, the shipping company that transported them to the Cape.
