Fuel Crisis in Zim is a good thing

The fuel crisis in Zimbabwe seems to have had at least one positive, and that is to have helped in South Africa’s preparations for this week’s Women’s World Cup of Golf at the Gary Player Country Club.

Laurette Maritz and Ashleigh Simon will team up for the third consecutive year in the 22-nation event, which tees off with the Singles matches on Friday followed by the Foursomes on Saturday and the Fourballs on Sunday.

Maritz, the experienced campaigner of the two, prepared for this year’s event by playing the Chapman Golf Course in Harare, which has the same kikuyu grass as the Gary Player Country Club course.

But the fuel shortage in Zimbabwe has meant that the course staff at Chapman have done the minimum amount of mowing on the course.

This has resulted in very tight fairways and long rough, placing an even greater premium on accuracy off the tee.

“It’s been the perfect preparation,” Maritz said on Tuesday.

Maritz and Simon will be seeking to improve on their 12^th place finish in the inaugural event and tied seventh last year.