Nomads Golf Club

THE NOMADS CREED:
The words we have taken for our creed are printed in the renowned extract from the Meditations of John Donne (1573-1631):

'No man is an island entire of itself; each man is a part of the continent,
a piece of the maine ... Any man's death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee'.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF NOMADS:

Provide an opportunity for persons of all walks of life to meet one another at least once a month, to play a game of golf and to make new and cement old friendships.
To encourage, promote, foster and support the game of golf.
To generate funds for distribution to charitable causes and assist those persons, regardless of race, colour or creed, in a less fortunate position than ourselves.

The 2nd Club - NATAL
FOUNDED:	September 1963
SPONSOR CLUB:	Transvaal
COLOURS:	Shirt: White Trousers: Black
FOUNDER CAPTAIN:	Noel Thompson
FOUNDER MEMBERS:	13
CURRENT MEMBERSHIP:	194

A BRIEF HISTORY:

Durban, being the closest sea-side resort to Johannesburg, has long been a popular holiday resort for the population of the Reef area. This resulted in a frequent migration of “Jo'burg” golfers to the coast to play golf over long weekends; many of these were Nomads in the, then, relatively newly formed Transvaal Nomads Golf Club.

After several NOMADS visits, 13 Durban golfers under the leadership of Noel Thompson were given the go-ahead to form a Natal Club in September 1963, our inaugural game held at Beachwood Country Club on 3 September 1963.

Founder Members were:- Noel Thompson; Brian Shagham ; Barry Strachan; Peter Pitman; Ted van Os; Anthony Handley; Don Morgan; J Smith; Peter Strachan; B Suskin; G Wooldridge; L Allison; B Geldard

After a somewhat slow start, the NOMADS concept gradually caught on and with plenty of encouragement from Transvaal, Natal forged ahead.

In 1984 the “Southern Natal Nomads Triangular Trophy” contested between Southern Natal, Natal and Border has gone through a series of name changes, but is now known as “The 400 Miler”, due mainly to the distances traveled by the respective clubs. Freestate Nomads have now joined this tournament. The venue and host club rotates annually.

1987 saw the birth of “The Tropicana Hotel Floating Trophy” contested between Natal, Southern Natal and Gauteng (then Transvaal). And sponsored by Natal Nomad and Hotel magnet, Alan Gooderson, of Gooderson Hotels and Leisure Resorts. This tournament is now known as “The Drakensberg Gardens Trophy”.

In 1988, due to the large influx of “Jo’berg” / Gauteng Nomad golfers coming to Durban for what was then the “Rothmans” Durban July Horse Racing, it was decided to hold a Nomads Golf day over this period. The Tournament was named “The Langham / Edward Trophy. An unwritten rule has since applied, that should the “Jo’berg” / Gautengers win this Trophy, the tournament will then be held upcountry.
Needless to say – they have never won the Trophy !