29/05/2026
It is with sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Athol Day on Monday, 25 May 2026, at the age of 93.
Athol joined the PGA of South Africa in 1976 and this year marked an incredible milestone of 50 years as a PGA Member.
His career in golf included working at Durbanville Golf Club in the early years of his professional journey, before spending many years at Bellville Golf Club where he became a respected and well-known figure within the Western Province golfing community.
*Message from Graham Webster (past Chairman of the PGA of South Africa)*:
An unsung hero of the PGA and golf in the Western Cape, Athol Day made an enormous contribution to the professional game and to the development of fellow PGA Professionals over many decades.
When I arrived in South Africa in Cape Town in 1981, Athol was already a prominent and highly respected part of the Western Cape PGA. Together with Simon Fogarty, he was a driving force in bringing the local PGA Professionals together — encouraging regular meetings where professionals could share knowledge, ideas and experiences for the benefit of all.
These gatherings eventually evolved into group purchasing initiatives, allowing PGA Professionals to buy products in bulk and offer more competitive pricing to their customers. At the time there were around 15 PGA Professionals in Cape Town, each operating the retail shop at their respective golf clubs.
From these humble beginnings, the initiative later developed into the well-known Golf Links buying group, which ultimately expanded into retail stores within Sportsman's Warehouse.
Athol also played a significant role in helping preserve professional tournament golf in the Western Cape.
There are many PGA Professionals who owe a debt of gratitude to Athol Day for the countless hours he devoted to helping fellow professionals become better businessmen, stronger operators and more united as a profession. His contribution to the PGA and to golf in South Africa will long be remembered.
Our condolences goes out to all the friends and family of Athol