Rowland Amm, father to local golf professional David Amm and one of the country’s budding amateur Braydon Amm, has expressed delight over the success of his sons on the golf course.
David and Braydon were one of the three sets of brothers who took part at the FBC Zimbabwe Open last month, along with fellow Zimbabwean Scott and Kieran Vincent and the Kibugu brothers from Kenya, Mutahi and Njeroge.
What makes the Amm brothers unique is the fact that they both broke the record for the youngest player to qualify for the country’s flagship event the Zim Open.
First it was David in 2014 just days before turning 15 and Braydon broke his brother’s record after achieving the feat four months after turning 14 in 2022.
The two brothers are nine years apart in terms of age and the older of the two brothers turned professional late last year while Braydon is still finding his way up as a budding amateur golfer.
Rowland is pleased with the ‘successes of his sons and expresses gratitude to all the people who have helped in the journey.
“I am very proud of the boys and it’s been quite a journey starting off with David when he was 11 years old and he is 25 now. We have come through a lot and it’s just been great. We had so many people involved with their growth as well we can name the late Roger Baylis he was very instrumental especially in David’s development.
“Mike Baylis and Themba Sibanda have also been there. They can never be where they are now without the help of the Zimbabwe Junior Golf Association (ZJGA) and the Zimbabwe Golf Association (ZGA) and many other people,” he told this publication on the sidelines of the Hillside Masters competition in Mutare a fortnight ago.
- Rowland Amm basks in sons’ golf success
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Amm and his family live a stone throw away from the Mutare’s Hillside Golf Club.
He reflected on how the golf journey began for his sons.
“We homeschool the children and it’s a very difficult route because of the sports options available to them, the lack of team events and those kinds of things we struggled to get involved in. David was very keen on cricket, he loved cricket and showed great promise and had some coaching with former Zimbabwe cricket captain Ray Price and we tried to get things going there but it didn’t work out.
“Then one we were shopping in town and then we saw an advert on the notice board saying free golf lessons with the pros at what was then Sherwood Golf Club (in Harare) and we thought why not. We took David and he hit a few balls on the fairway and he never looked back. Mike Baylis picked up the talent and ability and he never looked back since then.
“And for Braydon it was just a matter of trailing behind David and it's pretty much the same people with Braydon as they were with David. Both of them broke the record for the youngest player to qualify for the Zim Open. David broke the record first and Braydon beat that record and its credit to them. We have supported them as much as we can, encouraged them to do the best and enjoy it,” Rowland said.
In March this year David won his first professional title, the Lowveld ProAmm but unfortunately failed to make the cut at the Zim Open.
Braydon on the other hand is scheduled to take part in the British Open in July and hopes to eventually get an opportunity to play college golf in the United States.
But who is the better golfer of the two according to the father?
“David has now turned professional, he has been to college and that enhanced his golfing ability. He was able to get a golf scholarship to the United States and he was able to get an extra year or so due to the Covid-19 pandemic and managed to get a Master in Business Administration (MBA) qualification and now that he has turned pro, he is working hard to climb the ladder.
“Braydon is so many years behind in as far as age is concerned, that is almost nine years. I think David has the advantage that he was able to start earlier and so he can iron out most of the things. And Braydon I think he has got great ability if he can conquer it in the head and I think he will move in bigger strides than David was able to. But I am proud of them both. I think they have done well,” he said.
