Meet the team at the EEFF

Hannes van Niekerk, CEO, Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation
Hannes van Niekerk has had a long association with golf, having been Afrikaans daily newspaper Die Burger's chief golf correspondent and latterly sports editor for some 15 years. During his years of following professional golf around the world he built a close relationship with Ernie Els, often ‘clashing' in various media centres around the world! The mutual respect built up over the years convinced Els that, with his no-nonsense approach and integrity, Van Niekerk would be the ideal person to take over the running of the Foundation.

Hannes is a useful golfer, playing off an eight handicap, but it was on the rugby field where he excelled, playing provincial rugby for Boland in his younger days. Hannes is married to Karen and they have a son Jean.

Since taking over the running of the Foundation in 2004, Hannes has spent much effort in restructuring the education and coaching programme of the Foundation and was instrumental in ensuring the smooth transition of the amalgamation with the Fancourt Foundation to form the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation, which came into being at the beginning of 2006.

In mid-2006 he relocated from Cape Town and now lives with his family in George. He will continue to be based there as the Foundation enters its new phase from 2010, when members will be home-based.

George Harvey, Head Coach, Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation
A well-known name in professional golf, George Harvey grew up in Bulawayo in the then Rhodesia and played in the same amateur teams as such household names as Nick Price, Mark McNulty, Denis Watson and Tony Johnstone. In fact he and Watson won the World Pairs tournament in 1976 and he added two SA Amateurs to his impressive CV before joining the pro ranks in 1977.

Not being a great fan of travelling, George opted to stay put in the then Salisbury (now Harare) and take on the role of club pro at Royal Salisbury, a job he held until shortly after Zimbabwe's independence, when he moved down to Johannesburg and a club pro position at Parkview. From there it was to Benoni Lake and then Benoni Country Club before a long stint as golf director and head pro at Mount Edgecombe, a position he held for 12 or 13 years.

From there it was the move down the coast to the Fancourt Golf Academy where he took up a position as one of the teaching pros and helped with the set up and launch of the TaylorMade Lab at Fancourt. When the opportunity came up to head up the coaching for the Foundation in 2006, George grabbed it with both hands: "It is very exciting working with these youngsters. There is plenty of talent, but some of them will benefit hugely from a consistent teaching and training programme. It is a wonderful opportunity to be involved."

Such has been his impact on the Foundation's youngsters over the past few years that George was recognised as the PGA of South Africa's Teacher of the Year for 2008, one of the highest accolades it can bestow on its members. "This really is my ideal job - I love teaching youngsters and to teach talented youngsters such as these in the Foundation is fantastic!"