Derek James, PGA Club Pro of the Year (2002), Teaching Pro of the Year (2008), and awarded both accolades again in 2013, was an outstanding amateur and spent 13 years on the professional circuit prior to joining Southbroom Golf Club.
At 20 years of age, Derek James was the leading Amateur in the South African Masters (1980) and, prior to turning pro in 1984, he had represented South Africa as a ‘Springbok’ on 5 occasions, played in 3 British Amateurs and the World Amateur in Switzerland (1982).
Among his many achievements on tour, Derek won the Tournament Players Championship in Canada (1994), 3 tournaments in America including the Holy Oak Pro Am, 8 tournaments on the South African Winter Tour, and came second to Ernie Els in the South African Open (1992).
Derek retired from the professional circuit prematurely in 1997, due to family commitments, and the tour’s loss was Southbroom Golf Club’s gain. Not only did the Club score a PGA Professional capable of being elected to serve the board of the SA PGA (2005 to date), his wife Sheena is the backbone of the Southbroom Pro Shop success story.
Derek runs coaching clinics for all levels of golfers and is coach to professionals Jaco van Zyl (former South African Amateur Champion), Hennie Otto, Andre Cruse and Andrew Curlewis. Derek also coached the Natal Provincial Golf Team in 2001.
Derek and Sheena have two children, Courtney (1996) and Connor (1998).
Member of the Professional Golfers Association of South Africa
Book a personal lesson with Derek James or attend one of his clinics, either way you’ll score better when next out on the course.
Although highly regarded as an expert in every aspect of the swing, it is as a short-game coach that Derek James is best known.
Online coaching is just a click away…
And, if you want Derek to guide you around the Southbroom track …
