Determination and Courage

It has been my distinct pleasure to have known Deon Swart for the past two years. He is an inspiring and challenging man. Deon is from South Africa and currently lives in Buford, Georgia. Deon attended my Level I, II, and III classes at Royal Lakes Golf and Country Club in Flowery Branch, Georgia, in 2012. He successfully passed the Level II program but had difficulty with the PAT. On several occasions since the class Deon has returned to Royal Lakes to work on his game in hopes of taking the PAT again. He has always had a dynamic personality and infectious attitude, one that is pleasant to be around. When seeing him, I would occasionally joke about whether he was ready or not for the next step. Deon’s reply, in his South African accent, was always, “Mr. Vic, I am working on it but I am not ready yet.” He would always inform me of his score and what he needed to work on. In March of 2014 I ran into Deon at the course. I hadn’t seen him in months and I noticed that he was wearing some sort of device below his stomach. After talking for a moment he shared with me that he nearly died in January of 2014. He had contracted an unknown virus that attacked his heart. He didn’t go into detail, but I knew something was significantly different with his physical appearance. A couple of weeks went by and he was at the course again with some unique thoughts and designs on putting. His breathing was raspy, short, and labored. Today, I am so glad to report that Deon Swart has passed his PAT. With his heart devices attached and wrappings around his body, he pulled off two miraculous birdies to insure his victory of the PAT. Deon Swart has changed my life in more ways than one. He has enabled me to return to my passion of practicing – dedication to my own self improvement, and to the awesomeness of how OTHERS MATTER. His determination, his conviction, his dedication, and his spirit will make him a great teacher and one that will draw many aspiring and promising golfers to him. I cannot end this without shouting out a big THANK YOU to Mr. Mike Levine of the USGTF. His assistance, knowledge of the game, and his understanding that each individual is important, has changed my life, as well. By Vic Wilson, USGTF Level IV Member and Examiner