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Young talent discovered at First-Pace Golf Day

First Pace Golf Day for Girls

Congratulations to the talented young players of the inaugural First-Pace Golf Day for Girls - Nadia Lawrance and Jessica Dendy-Young.

The First-Pace Golf Day for Girls, a fully-sponsored initiative launched by First Car Rental and leading South African golfer Lee-Anne Pace to develop women's golf in South Africa, took place on 11 November at the Pearl Valley Golf & Country Estate in Franschhoek.

First Pace Golf Day for Girls

(L-R) Selected senior, Nadia Lawrance; Lee-Anne Pace; and selected junior, Jessia Dendy-Young at the First-Pace Golf Day for Girls

Forty girls aged 9 to 17 years from government and private schools near Pearl Valley were nominated by their teachers to attend the event.

The schools that took part were: Bergendal Intermediate; Bridge House School; Franschoek Primary and High School; Groendal Primary; Klein Nederburg Secondary; Paarl Gimnasium; Paulus Joubert Secondary; Pniel Primary; Ronwe Primary; Wemmershoek Primary and Wes-eind Primary.

Professionals on the day and beyond

Leading names in golf, including Rae Hast (WPGA President); James Wade (coaching Director of South Africa at Swingfit); Mareli Joubert (pro golfer at De Zalze Golf Club and Swingfit coach); and Carl Krog (Golf Manager at Pearl Valley and pro golfer), helped Lee-Anne select two girls who showed a natural talent and attitude for golf.

The afternoon saw the girls playing golf shots in three principle areas: chipping, putting and iron-play on the driving range. In each area, golf pros showed the girls what to do and helped them practice before they were assessed.

Lee-Anne Pace

Lee-Anne Pace after winning the Cell C SA Women's Open

At the end of the day two girls were selected (one junior and one senior) for their natural talent and received a golf development assistance package.

Selected senior: Nadia Lawrance (17) from Paarl Gimnasium. Selected senior runner-up: Ashley Mills (16) from Bridge House School. Selected junior: Jessica Dendy-Young (13) from Bridge House School. Selected junior runner-up: Charlize Adams (12) from Bergendal Intermediate.

The assistance package includes two return tickets on any FlySafair flight and car rental for three days; full Junior Membership at Pearl Valley Golf & Country Estate; a golf travel bag (with wheels); Puma golf clothing (cap, polo shirt, shorts and shoes); a Cobra golf bag; and a full set of Cobra golf irons.

The runners up received 6 x 30 minute golf coaching sessions from Swingfit.

First-Pace Golf Day for Girls

All the girls, mentors and sponsors who helped make the First-Pace Golf Day for Girls possible

First-Pace Golf Day for Girls

From left to right: James Wade (Coaching Director of South Africa at Swingfit); Mareli Joubert (pro golfer at De Zalze Golf Club and Swingfit coach); Ashley Mills (Senior Runner-up); Nadia Lawrance (Selected Senior); Lee-Anne Pace; Jessia Dendy-Young (Selected Junior); Melissa Nortje (Executive Head: Strategy, Development and Marketing at First Car Rental) and Rae Hast (WPGA President). Junior runner-up, Charlize Adams, was not present for the photo.



First-Pace Golf Day for Girls

Staff from First Car Rental served as ushers and drivers on the day, helping to take care of the girls and driving them to and from their respective schools. From left to right: Uta Wessels, Melissa Hilton, Lee-Anne Pace, Christel Jacobs and Carin van Zyl

First-Pace Golf Day for Girls

The girls on the course at Pearl Valley


Thank you to Karel Cupido for supplying some of the photographs featured on this webpage.

First in Car Hire. First in Service.