Golf

There are many theories regarding the origins of the game of golf, but it is universally accepted that the modern game originated in Scotland. The first written record of the game dates back to 1457 when it was banned by James II as being an “unwelcome distraction to learning archery”. The oldest surviving rules of golf were put together in March 1744 for the Company of Gentlemen Golfers. Today the game is played on some 35,000 courses, half of which are in the United States, by millions of golfers all over the World. A number of different forms of the game have evolved over the years, including Match play, Stroke play, Skins and Stapleford. In any game a player is permitted a maximum of 14 golf clubs in his or her bag, often comprising a combination of woods, irons, hybrids, wedges and a putter.

Naturally with such a popular game there are many manufacturers of golfing equipment, and one of the best and most popular of them is a company that goes by the name of Ping. Ping golf clubs are manufactured by the Karsten Manufacturing Corporation of Phoenix, Arizona, and are available in over 70 countries around the world. The brand is used by many of the world’s top professional players. Ping’s founder, Karsten Solheim, is the only golf club manufacturer to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida.

With his home base at the Stellenbosch Golf Club, Douwvan der Merwe Viljoen frequently enjoys a round of golf, and plays off a handicap of 20. He can often be seen on the greens and fairways of Stellenbosch Golf Club with his bag of Ping golf clubs.