Rayhaan’s star shines

Ellina Mhlanga recently in JOHANNESBURG, South Africa
FOR 15-year-old Rayhaan Maganezi anything is possible in life if one puts everything to pursue the dream.
The up-and-coming young Zimbabwean golfer began playing the sport last year at a handicap of 31 and he has managed to reduce his handicap to 16 under a year.
It all started when he used to accompany his father — Robson — to the driving range for his practice sessions during the week and by that time, he was more into football. It took his father’s encouragement to take up the gentleman’s game.

His parents Robson and Blessing have since engaged a private coach, Suzette Venter, to help their son realise his dream at Serengeti Golf Academy near Kempton Park which is just outside Johannesburg and from the progress he has made so far, Rayhaan believes he has what it takes to become a professional golfer in the not-too-distant future.

“With the way I am going now, I can actually see myself turning pro. I think it’s something I can really do very soon, even maybe straight after school I am sure I can turn professional.

“I did my first golf lesson with her (Venter) last year, it was in a group lesson. I think it was at the end of March. Then I used to go once a week but now I train on Monday and I also do coaching for the little kids and practice in the gym. On Wednesday I practice again and Friday that’s when I play a round of golf with my friends and then Saturday morning that’s when I come and have another lesson, then I go to the gym and practice also.

“When we practice, she (Venter) puts me on camera then we take it inside and see what’s wrong with it (the swing) and we correct things. Let’s say my foot is too open or I am over swinging, we have to correct it to do the right thing,” said Rayhaan.

Besides working with his coach for his training and practice, the young golfer has also been entrusted with helping children between the age of six and seven with the basics of the sport. And for him the task is contributing positively in his development.

“It’s actually fun and it’s also helpful for me if you look at the kids when they are doing something wrong then you show them how to do it right. You will also learn and you don’t do it wrong also because you would have seen this thing quite often. When you actually go back into the course the chances of you making that mistake are not that much because you see it a lot, you are aware of it and then you avoid it. It also improves my play and it makes me a better player.

“It does boost my confidence because it shows that someone has trust in me. I can actually be more confident in myself because they can see that I have a full understanding of what’s happening. I am enjoying it very much,” said Rayhaan.

But with Rayhaan still in school, one wonders how he balances his studies and golf as he is aiming for a degree in aeronautical engineering later in life.

“It’s tough because at school I have to work hard to keep my marks high to go to a good university. I am quite happy with my marks.
“I don’t put myself under pressure. I have trained my mind to cope with what’s happening around me, like when something changes I tell myself I have to do this, this way then I have an idea of what I am doing and how I am doing it.

“I have played in competitions but it was through my development stages and now my golf is stable unlike when I started. Those days it was different because I was doing so much. I have played in the school golf league, then there was also the Glacier tournament. It was a tournament for juniors and I played in club tournaments.

“The Glacier tournament is a national event it goes all over the country and I have played only one competition, but next year I want to play all of it. That was like the one big tournament for me because I find the school golf more of fun. I didn’t do really well but next year I want to compete really hard,” said Rayhaan.

The up-and-coming golfer said his participation in the Glacier tournament was an eye-opener for him as he realised that preparation is the key to success when you compete in a competitive event.

“Because I hadn’t played on the course before, I struggled a lot. I have learnt that when competing it’s all about preparation and also one thing about tournaments is to warm up, you need to warm up and make sure your body is ready,” added Rayhaan.

At one point Rayhaan was a central midfielder for Birch Acres Football Club junior team before going for trials at Mpumalanga Black Aces where things, however, did not turn out well.

He admitted that although he loves football, of late he has been concentrating on playing golf more than any other sport.
“Recently it’s been just golf and then at school I still played for the school soccer team. I also did the athletics for the school team, I went for the training but when the race day came I didn’t run. I can’t remember why.

“For athletics, it was during the first part of the year then golf but I enjoyed it because it helps me with my fitness. Even soccer, I did it because it helps me also. This whole thing of getting fitness in the gym I don’t really like it much. I prefer doing a sport like athletics or soccer for fitness and cycling. I like cycling a lot and then jogging of course that’s much better. I go to the gym for my exercises but for the fitness part I prefer doing it outside than indoors,” Rayhaan said.

Rayhaan said he enjoys watching golf on his spare time and is inspired by world number one golfer Tiger Woods. He also loves other sporting disciplines such as motor racing’s Formula One.

His father, Robson Maganezi, is one of Zimbabwe’s top motor rallying drivers and he recently competed in the Telecel Dragpro Club Drag Racing Series at Donnybrook in Harare.

“I look up to Tiger Woods. He is my favourite player, even before I used to play golf I always looked up to that guy and I said he is the best and I wanted to be like him.

“He had his bad time but he was able to pick himself up, you need that a lot to be able to pick yourself up when you fall,” said Rayhaan.
Rayhaan said he is grateful for having supporting parents in his journey to reach greater heights in golf.

“They have been very good and my duty is to keep my mark high, if my marks are not good I am not sure what I would do because I have never been in that situation. I work hard to keep my average mark so that it does not drop.

“It feels very good and also relieving because there are some people who want to do something and they have to sort of rebel against their parents to do what they want.

“This is something I want to do (playing golf) and they are behind me. It also puts ease on the situation, it doesn’t put much pressure on the situation. When something goes wrong they also try to help me,” he said.

Rayhaan’s coach, Venter, said she has faith he can make it to the top but it will take a lot of hard work.
“Rayhaan started a little bit late comparing with other kids, we have got kids from four-and-a-half-years-old and younger but he works really hard so that’s one thing other kids don’t do. Definitely if he keeps on working hard I think he will reach his goal but it’s going to be hard work.

“It’s not going to be easy. Golf is not easy, it has got a lot of mental and physical things to do with but if he keeps doing it and following the programme we will get him where he wants to be in the future.

“We are working on his physical part which is to be able to hit the golf ball well. He needs to be able to swing well and he also needs a good strong mental part,” said Venter.

Venter said she is also targeting a single digit for Maganezi’s handicap by the end of the year.
“I would like him to be a single figure, so nine or eight is definitely possible. If he puts in the work anything is possible, what you give in life, you get back. So if he keeps on practising, stays motivated, dedicated and positive, he will definitely reach his target.

“His swing is good. He is striking the ball well but your swing always has to work from Tiger Woods to anyone else to Rory Mcllroy.
“It’s a never ending process so whilst the swing might be good today we can always improve it. It could be something else tomorrow, you have to play with what you have and that’s what we need to work on,” said Venter.

Rayhaan is the first born in a family of three and he has two sisters, Selmor and Shakira.
Rayhaan’s mum, Blessing, is a proud mother and shares the same dream with her son and said it’s possible for him to reach his target.
“I think since he started (playing golf) last year he has improved a lot. Last year he basically played with his friends and did group lessons. When we saw his potential that’s when we initiated that we do individual lessons for him.

“What I do is I have started giving incentives on things in line with golf. I don’t give him money though.
“The idea is to get a single digit handicap. He does other sports as well at school but now slowly he is removing himself from those and we can see the dedication and maturity is there.

“In school he does very well, with an average of 80 percent. Last year he got the scientist of the year award and I think he is balancing it well,” said Blessing.

His father and motor rallying driver, Robson, said he is only playing his part to see his son achieving his goals.
“Obviously as parents we are just trying to encourage and keep him focused. We want to give him better opportunities in life and give him a direction in life.

“He is 15-years-old and he is also coaching other young players. Serengeti is one of the reputable golf courses, big names have played there and the South Africa Open is usually played there,” said Robson.

With the support Rayhaan has from his parents, it’s all up to him to turn his dream into reality.