Andrew
Tinashe Kusema
Deputy Sports Editor
“DEATH is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace”.
That quote is from late former South African president, Nelson Mandela, and is an extract from his 1996 documentary “Mandela”.
It aptly describes the man, who knew his purpose in life and dedicated the life to it.
Mandela’s famous quote also resonates with the legacy of Zimbabwe golfing legend Roger Baylis, who passed away at his home last weekend.
He was 84.
Baylis suffered from knee arthritis, which made it d ifficult for him to walk. He once had one of his legs operated on without success.
In the week or so since his death, the Zimbabwe golfing community has been in a state of mourning, with many members coming out to share their thoughts, memories and tributes for the man.
The task to summarise that feeling proved harder than initially thought. After all, how does one put into words the legacy so rich in material?
Well, Baylis’ legacy can be put into two main categories. One is to simply list his plethora of achievements and accolades, while the other is to let the people and careers he touched speak for themselves.
On his numerous accolades and achievements, Baylis is one of the longest-serving members of the Nomad Golf Club, which was established in 1968.
He served on the inaugural Zimbabwe Open Golf Tournament Committee in 1985, which also had Tim Price and Anderson Rusike, and was a major driving force behind the Zimbabwe Junior Golf Association.
However, for all his accolades and achievements, and there are many, Baylis’ legacy is best seen and remembered through the numerous players whose lives he touched.
These include Brendon De Jong, David Amm, Gary Thompson, Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa, Scott Vincent and even Nick Price.
Ironically, this list contains the who’s who of Zimbabwe golfing success’ past, present and future.
“I heard the news about Roger (Baylis) passing away. I think the day he died, I did not know how to react,” said Nyamukondiwa, who is a third-year finance student at Drexel University in the United States.
“I still don’t know, some days later.
“I met Roger (Baylis) back in 2012 at Royal Harare. They used to have these coaching clinics there on Saturdays.
“He picked me from the crowd of kids there for the lessons and started asking me these questions.
“He invited me for some extra lessons, this time at the Chapman Golf course, and that is how we met,” he said. After that, a mentor-and-student relationship was built.
“He has always been an important person in my life, and career. He taught me a lot of golf and life lessons,” went on Nyamukondiwa.
“I remember I would always go to Roger’s house, together with David Amm, for sleepovers and he would travel with me for amateur and junior tournaments.
“He took care of us; often bringing us lunch, and giving us tips on how to improve our game.
“He made me who I am on the golf course, and he was as good as a father figure to many of us,” he said.
Their relationship even extended to the national team, as Baylis was the coach when Nyamukondiwa played for Zimbabwe at the junior level.
The two kept in touch even as Nyamukondiwa went to college in the US, and last spoke three weeks ago, when they made plans to meet during the Christmas holidays.
It was the same chorus from most of the people who spoke on Baylis’ legacy, with many pointing to his passion for the sport and willingness to help others as some of his major hallmarks.
“Roger Baylis was the doyen, the cheerleader, the manager, the touring pro and surrogate father of Zimbabwe golf,” said Gary Thompson.
“He was the type to have a beer with other managers, then go back to his team and find out if they are having any problems before the next day’s play.
“He travelled throughout Africa, Japan, America and most of Europe, taking world amateurs into clubs to help them improve their game,” he said.
William Lake, manager at Chapman Golf Club, said: “Age was never a barrier for Roger; he saw himself as one of the boys, even in his 80s, and wanted to be included in everything.
“That was why he connected well with the juniors.
“His passion for golf was intertwined with his relationships, as he sympathised with your failures and rejoiced in your victories.”
“Most of all, he enjoyed your company and the interaction he would have, preferably while giving you a golf lesson and adding value to your experience as a golfer,” he said.
Closer home, his daughter Joan Baylis spoke about her father’s big heart, and willingness to go beyond the norm to help the younger generation.
“Roger had picked up cooking as a hobby in his fifties, as he was winding up his playing days, and knew a lot of Indian recipes and watched a lot of gourmet cooking shows.
“The main thing he loved to do, however, was to cook for his juniors, and he would bring a couple of juniors to the house for dinner every other Wednesday when mum was not around.
“Often, he would have kids stay over so that he could drive them to tournaments the next day.
“The house was always open; kids would often come through and mum never really knew who or how many people were coming over for dinner,” Joan said.
Baylis is survived by his wife Jen and three children — Mike, Steve and Joan.
Online Reporter