'With more exposure, we can reach more golfers' - Disabled pro golfer David Watts

JOHANNESBURG -  David Watts, born with fibular hemimelia, where the calf bone in his left leg failed to develop, underwent three surgeries before the age of 16 to lengthen his leg by a total of 23 centimetres.

His disability meant contact sports or any code that required a lot of movement were out the window, so his father introduced him to golf.

"Because of my disability, contact sports and anything involving a lot of movement, like running or cycling, were off the table. Golf was something I could do standing in one place, which was perfect during the recovery periods after surgeries throughout my childhood.

"I actually loved cricket and water polo as a kid, but as the games became more competitive and I couldn’t run, I felt like I was letting my team down. My dad, who isn’t a golfer himself but loves sport, introduced me to the game and used to drop me off most mornings at Beachwood CC to practice before school."

After school, Watts played a lot of amateur events around KwaZulu-Natal.

"During those amateur events, my body struggled with the amount of walking. To get a cart approved, I had to register with the South African Disabled Golf Association. That’s when my disabled golf journey began in 2022."

And the naturally right-handed Watts never looked back as he learned to swing left-handed to accommodate his weaker leg.

The pro golfer from Durban in August represented South Africa at the European Individual Championship for Golfers in Sweden, which saw him finish in T11 (tied 11th) in a competitive field of 82 players from around the world. In May, he played the G4D Open in Woburn, finishing 13th and also played at the US Adaptive Open in July in Maryland.

"I was playing well going into the event. It was definitely an event I felt I could win. I finished T11, so it was frustrating. My game from tee to green was great. I only started to feel comfortable putting in the final round. That said, I’m proud of how I fought through it."

He told Eyewitness News that overseas tournaments gave players great exposure as the climate and grass conditions were very different to what they’re used to in South Africa.

"And you have to adapt quickly. I didn’t do that as well as I would’ve liked this time around. Still, there were positives. Tee to green was extremely good. I would have liked a top five. That final round was important for having a solid finish."

The disabled golf player from KwaZulu-Natal won the maiden 2023 G4D Tour title in Singapore after a thrilling final round battle with then world number one, Kipp Popert. At this tournament, golfers with a disability play on the same course and in the same week as the famous names on the DP World Tour.

"At the competitive level, we have the AAGT(All Abilities Golf Tour). I would love to see an event in South Africa equivalent to the G4D Open at Woburn or the US Adaptive Open. Australia has just announced their Australian All Abilities Championship. Basically, an African Championship that brings the world’s best golfers to SA. I would like to see that happen in the next couple of years."

He says South Africa’s G4D (Golf for the Disabled) scene is doing really well. The All Abilities Golf Tour, launched in January 2024 by SADGA (the governing body for disabled golf in SA), now has more events than any other disabled golf tour in the world, about 10 tournaments per year, all counting toward world ranking points.

"It’s not feasible for our players to travel to Europe to play, so this is a lot of playing opportunity for our golfers. These are very high-quality events, top courses, and almost every event is broadcast on SuperSport as a highlight package. That kind of media coverage doesn’t exist anywhere else for disabled golf. Our field sizes are still developing, but with more exposure, we can reach more golfers."

The player who won the 2025 eThekwini Championship for golfers with disabilities, 2025 Tshwane Open for Golfers with Disabilities, says golf overall in SA is really good.

"We are also supported by GolfRSA, which is a huge help. We are up there with the best in the world for disabled golf events, if not the best, to be honest. I’ve been lucky enough to play a fair amount overseas, and what we do here is so underrated. I’m really grateful for what we have here in SA."

He told EWN that he was looking forward to the signature event on the SA disabled golf calendar, which is the South African G4D Open at The Wanderers in October, where he hopes to take the trophy.

"It’s a big one on home soil, so I’m aiming for that trophy."