SA’s sole golfer sets sights on silver

Johannesburg 74-year-old grandmaster golfer, Moshe Duek, won’t just be Team Maccabi South Africa’s oldest athlete at the Maccabi Games in July, he’ll also be the sole golfer representing the country.

“It feels great being the only golfer from South Africa playing here,” says this Israel-born self-described “old yente”, speaking from Israel this week. He left for Israel on 25 June to spend time with the large family he has there before the games. “It’s hard to represent your country just by yourself, but I’m here, and I’m going to play.”

Golf is one of the five sports that South Africa has won medals for at every one of its participations in the Maccabiah. Since 1965, the country has attained 54 medals in the sport. Duek hopes to increase this tally.

“I hope I do well,” he says. “When you hit the first shot, you don’t know where you’re going to place, but I did very well four years ago. I came second, and I got a silver medal, so I’m coming to defend it.”

Over the past 30 years, Duek has played golf in five Maccabiah, winning two silver medals in singles and one gold in the team event.

Duek has lived in South Africa for 52 years, and literally resides at the Houghton Golf Club in Johannesburg. “I play golf there every second day. It’s better than work. If I don’t practice, I go home and have a fight with my wife,” he chuckles.

When he was 45, his business partners, Lollie and Colin Meyerowitz, introduced him to golf.

He has been bitten by the bug ever since, but he also plays tennis once a week. “I love my tennis,” he says.