What to expect at the NTT DATA Pro-Am

1. Where Mountains Echo Every Cheer

Between 12 and 15 February 2026, Fancourt’s 700-hectare playground becomes a living leaderboard. Applause ricochets off the Outeniqua range, while groans vanish into old-growth forests that fringe every fairway. It’s the NTT DATA Pro-Am, the Sunshine Tour’s most camera-friendly detour, and the estate vibrates at a pitch you can feel in your ribs.

Pros chase R 7 million and precious Road-to-Mallorca points, but they share the stage with insurance brokers, tyre dealers and bakery owners. Better-ball scoring means a 66 might be sculpted half by a Major champion and half by a 12-handicapper who only met his pro on the range that morning. The result is a gallery that never thins - every swing matters to someone clutching a company-branded yardage book and a three-year lease special on a hatchback.

The magic lies in the mismatch: world-class speed meets weekend optimism. One group can feature a man who once out-drove Augusta’s 13th and another who still carries a ball retriever in the bag. The chemistry turns every walk from tee to green into a mini-drama, and the mountains remember every line.

2. Three Personalities, One DNA

• Montagu: the perfectionist eldest*
  Kikuyu runways, sentinel oaks and bent-grass carpets greet you first. Water glints at 6, 7 and 18, luring hero shots or card-killing cold feet. When the air lies still, 64s flow like Sauvignon; when the wind wakes, the same hole locations morph into practical jokes wearing flags.

• Outeniqua: the zen middle child*
  Wider corridors, softer elevations and Cape parrots flitting between yellowwoods create the illusion of calm. Sub-air pipes beneath the surfaces can suck moisture in 30 minutes, turning a receptive nine-iron into a one-bounce-over-the-back horror film. Locals nicknamed it “the course that smiles before it slaps” for good reason.

• The Links: the Scottish runaway*
  No trees, endless fescue, dunes kneaded by mythical bakers. Wind plays plus-one club at breakfast, minus-two by brunch. Plateau or punch-bowl greens send putts on 80-foot voyages uphill, down again, then back up. In 2003 Ernie Els labelled the 18th “the planet’s best closer south of the equator” after a 2-iron, wedge and birdie beat Retief Goosen by one. The salt still hangs in the air like memory.

3. Start-Sheet Superstars & Rookie Rockets

Ernie Els, 56, returns for appearance number 22, still shaping the high-fade that once made Augusta feel short. Defending champ Wilco Nienaber brings 342-yard average thunder and a 198-mph ball-speed résumé; he has already flown the 373-metre 12th at The Links with driver alone. Dean Burmester jets in fresh from a LIV triumph in Adelaide, while Caitlyn Macnab, fast-tracked from 2025 Arnold-Palmer-Cup stardom, eyes her first pro scalp.

The women share equal spotlight. Ashleigh Buhai, 2022 British Open queen and Mossel Bay native, comes home to familiar cheers. Opposite her, 17-year-old Mia Botha carries Junior Ryder Cup MVP credentials and a fearless grin. Their R 1.2 million purse is the richest women’s pro-am bounty Africa has ever posted, forcing locker-room chat to pivot from carry distances to sponsorship equity.

Amateurs span plus-2 aces to 18-index CEOs who discovered dawn TrackMan sessions six months ago. Each pro drags two such partners through the first 54 holes, after which the low 60 pros break away for a solitary Sunday sprint. Meanwhile, the next 30 pro-am duels enter a shoot-out on The Links, guaranteeing that every handshake on the range hides either a silent killer or a secretly shaky short game.

4. Tech, Taste & Tomorrow

• Broadcast & Data Delirium*
  A private 4-kilometre 5G web lets wireless cameras shadow every group sans cable. Commentators wear bone-conduction sets so they can narrate and still hear the pure thwack of a flushed four-iron. SuperSport viewers can toggle “data-cam,” a live overlay of heart rate, launch angle and spin. When Nienaber uncorked a 376-metre rocket during the Wednesday curtain-raiser, his HR leapt from 78 to 141 and Twitter melted faster than the announcer could shout “fore right.”

• Side-Stage Sizzle*
  Montagu’s 16th morphs into an Inverroche gin garden where honeybush and pelargonium are foraged 40 kilometres away. A drone-lowered coffee cart hovers over Outeniqua’s 4th, winching flat-whites to caffeine disciples who refuse to surrender grandstand real estate. Kids under 16 test the “Two-Club Challenge,” chipping five balls from 30 metres; nestle three inside the leather and you pocket a personalised TaylorMade sleeve.

• Legacy that Outlives the Leaderboard*
  Standard Bank’s “Back-her-Back” fund skims 5 % of every ticket to bankroll 250 future starts for young women on local mini-tours. The Solar Backpack Project, now a women-run micro-enterprise in Haarlem and Misgund, assembles 1 500 school units fitted with 1,5 W panels and 3 000 mAh batteries. Homework no longer waits for paraffin lamps, and the textbooks charge while the sun still grazes the fescue.

When the final putt drops, 42 000 footprints per hole, 1 800 litres of craft brew and one skull-scuffed sand wedge that found the cup for a one-point upset will have been logged. Grandstands vanish, fescue trims back for grey duikers, and the Outeniqua ridgeline reclaims its quiet. Yet the hum lingers - in caddie shacks, pro-shop counters and solar-lit school desks - until next February, when the circus unloads again and the Garden Route resumes its 96-hour stint as the golfing galaxy’s most beautiful epicentre.

What is the NTT DATA Pro-Am event?

The NTT DATA Pro-Am is a prestigious Sunshine Tour golf tournament held at Fancourt, featuring professional golfers competing for R 7 million and Road-to-Mallorca points. It's unique for its better-ball format, where pros team up with amateur partners, creating a dynamic and engaging experience for both participants and spectators. The event also has a strong focus on community impact, making a real difference in the local area.

When and where does the NTT DATA Pro-Am take place?

The NTT DATA Pro-Am is held annually between 12 and 15 February at Fancourt, a renowned golf estate in the Garden Route region of South Africa. This 700-hectare venue provides a stunning backdrop with the Outeniqua mountain range and old-growth forests.

Which golf courses are used for the tournament?

The tournament utilizes three distinct courses at Fancourt, each with its own character:
* Montagu: Known for its pristine Kikuyu runways, sentinel oaks, and bent-grass carpets, with water features at holes 6, 7, and 18.
* Outeniqua: Offers wider corridors, softer elevations, and a serene environment, but is deceptively challenging, earning it the nickname "the course that smiles before it slaps."
* The Links: A Scottish-style links course with no trees, endless fescue, and challenging dunes, described by Ernie Els as having "the planet's best closer south of the equator" at its 18th hole.

Who are some of the notable players participating?

The NTT DATA Pro-Am attracts a mix of golf legends and rising stars. Past and anticipated participants include Ernie Els, defending champion Wilco Nienaber, Dean Burmester, and Caitlyn Macnab. The women's field is also strong, with players like Ashleigh Buhai (2022 British Open queen) and young talent Mia Botha competing for Africa's richest women's pro-am purse of R 1.2 million.

What makes the Pro-Am format so unique?

The Pro-Am format pairs world-class professional golfers with amateur partners, ranging from plus-2 aces to 18-index CEOs. They compete in a better-ball scoring format, meaning that every shot from both the pro and amateur contributes to the team's score. This creates a dynamic atmosphere where every swing matters, and a gallery that stays engaged throughout the tournament. After the initial 54 holes, the low 60 pros continue for a solo Sunday sprint, while the next 30 pro-am teams enter a shoot-out on The Links.

How does the NTT DATA Pro-Am contribute to the community and offer a unique spectator experience?

The event is designed as a "golf party with a purpose." Beyond the competition, it focuses on making a real difference in the community through initiatives like:
* Standard Bank's "Back-her-Back" fund: Skims 5% of every ticket to support 250 future starts for young women in local mini-tours.
* The Solar Backpack Project: A women-run micro-enterprise assembling 1,500 solar-powered school backpacks, providing light for homework in communities like Haarlem and Misgund.

For spectators, the event offers cutting-edge technology such as a private 4-kilometer 5G web for wireless cameras and "data-cam" for SuperSport viewers to see live player stats. There are also unique side events, including an Inverroche gin garden at Montagu's 16th, a drone-lowered coffee cart at Outeniqua's 4th, and a "Two-Club Challenge" for kids under 16.