Maart credits Big Easy for personal growth

Mark Maart says despite experiencing a few struggles on the golf course in his first two seasons on the Altron Big Easy Tour, he has also grown tremendously as a golfer and as a human being.

“The Big Easy Tour has helped me grow as a player,” said Maart ahead of this week’s tournament at Benoni Country Club. “I have found it to be a perfect stepping stone and while I have not had the best of runs in terms of making cuts, I feel like I have grown personally and my golf has improved a lot in the two seasons.

“It feels like my golf is headed in the direction I want it to and I think it’s all because of the competitive nature of this Tour. We have played some really challenging golf courses and that also helps to improve one’s game. So, this week is another opportunity for me to work my way to where I feel I can be.”

Along with this 10th event of the campaign, there are only two tournaments remaining in the season; the Play-Off, which is to be staged at Irene Country Club and The Final which will be played at Blue Valley Golf Estate. Maart acknowledges that he will need to play well this week to improve his ranking on the Order of Merit and qualify for the Play-Off at Irene. Only the top 50 players in the money list are eligible for that event while the top 30 after that will be eligible for The Final.

“As I said, there must be improvements now because we are in the last events of the season and I want to play in the Play-Off,” said Maart who plays out of Southdowns Country Club. “I’ve played here before and I know this course is not easy. But the aim for me is to play well and finish as high up as possible. But, as always, I can’t put myself under pressure; that’s how you make mistakes. I just need to focus and play my game.”

Maart is a member of the Sunshine Tour’s Papwa Sewgolum Class – an initiative designed to provide further support for players of colour.