Page 16 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 8 2025

ESTATE MATTERS
TE MA
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A
ESTATE MATTERS
ES
TTERS
HOME FRONT
HOME FRONT

DARREN FICHARDT :

A GLOBAL

SWING WITH

LOCAL ROOTS

B Y NIC OLA KILL OPS

Darren Fichardt ehind Darren Fichardt's statistics need to get your son playing golf.”

On his twelfth birthday, his father bought him a
and global schedule, lies a story
that is deeply South African —
is one of South Bshaped by family, resilience, and a mismatched pawn-shop set of clubs for R150.
“Every single club was different,” Darren grins,
“but that was my set. By 14, I’d made provincial
lifelong love of the game of golf.
Africa’s most “I’ve always been housebound,” Darren colours with those clubs.”
laughs. “I hated being away from home. I
It was the start of a journey that would carry him
decorated couldn’t even go to Joburg without missing from local fairways to the biggest stages in golf.
it. Then I chose a career that had me living
professional on airplanes!” TURNING PRO BEFORE ANYONE
THOUGHT HE SHOULD
By 18, Darren was ranked as the top
That contradiction has defined his career:
golfers, with the tension between international success amateur in South Africa. He had offers
to play college golf in the U.S. — full
and an unwavering pull toward the people
closest to him.
scholarships, NCAA championships, the
titles earned FROM THE BACK OF THE PACK TO works. Everyone expected him to take the
safe path.
on some of the THE FRONT OF THE FAIRWAY But when South Africa returned to
As the youngest of four, Darren often found
international sport in the early ’90s, he saw
himself in the background. His older siblings
world’s toughest were louder, rowdier, always in the spotlight. an opportunity. “I didn’t want other people
Golf became his way to carve out a space
deciding my future. I wanted to be in control
of my own achievements.” Against all advice,
that was his own.
courses He still remembers the moment it clicked. At he turned professional.
twelve years old, his father — already a keen
golfer — let him tag along as a “free caddie.” It was a bold move that paid off quickly.
Within three years he had already won
One Saturday, a playing partner suggested his first tournament, proving wrong all
he take a swing. Darren smacked the ball those who said he’d sink without a safety
down the middle. “They told my dad: you net.
20 Kyalami Estates • CONNECT • Issue 2 • 2025
14 DPL issue 8 2025