The Fairways Are Greener : South African Manny Zerman Moves to United States for Golf Opportunities

SAN DIEGO —  When political ramifications met professional aspirations, Manny Zerman decided he had but one choice.

Zerman, a talented golfer from South Africa, uprooted himself from his racially divided homeland last summer and moved to San Diego.

Here, he’s completing his high school education and hoping to carve out a golf career.

It isn’t easy living away from family and friends, but Zerman, 18, decided this is the only way to go.

“I knew I had no real future in South Africa,” he said. “I could not have any international competition staying there any longer.”

South Africa is the world’s athletic orphan. Few countries will compete in sports against the nation’s teams because of the government’s apartheid policies.

With that realization, Zerman jumped at a chance last July to make a move to the United States.

“I came here the past four years to play in the Junior Worlds at Torrey Pines,” Zerman said. “The (tournament) committee tries to host all the foreign players with families. The last three years, I stayed with the same people. When I was over here last year, they said, ‘Why don’t you stay with us and we’ll put you through high school, and then you can go to college?’ I said, ‘Gee, that would be great.’

“I ended up staying and calling my parents and saying, ‘Mom, Dad, I’m staying over.’ My dad said that was fine. It’s for my own good. My dad knew this was the only place for me.”

Zerman lives with John and Sue Hogue at their home in Point Loma.

“They’ve been like parents to me,” Zerman said.

He attends University of San Diego High School, plays for the Dons’ golf team and looks hopefully toward a future in collegiate and professional golf.

It’s late afternoon, and the sun is crawling toward the sea as two dozen golfers take their hacks on Stardust Country Club’s driving range. Men and women of all shapes and sizes employ every weird and wild swing imaginable.

All except one.

On the south end of the range, dressed in lavender pants, white shirt and shoes and a Rolex visor, Manny Zerman exhibits a flawless swing as he works to groove his stroke and find his tempo.

Each swing is a carbon copy of the one before it. Every ball streaks into the sky--a perfect parabola with a slight draw--then lands amid the hundreds already dotting the range. Zerman’s swing is graceful and effortless, his face serious and businesslike.

“I’m very serious about whatever I do,” says Zerman, whose accent and dark features make him seem older than 18. “It’s just the way I was brought up. There’s a time for joking and a time to be serious.”

The golf range is not for joking. Zerman puts in at least three hours daily at Stardust, sometimes practicing at 6 a.m. before school, often in the afternoon and evening under the lights.

“He practically lives here,” says K.C. Crandell, the host professional. “That’s why he’s so good.”

He is good. It isn’t stretching the imagination to think that Zerman could become a star on the PGA Tour.

He has excelled at the Junior World Golf Championships at Torrey Pines the past four years, finishing second twice and third twice. He finished third at the junior British Amateur last April and won the Chilean Amateur in October.

His goal is to play on the tour and win a major championship. That doesn’t appear to be all that far-fetched.

“I feel pretty confident,” Zerman said. “Over there (South Africa), I was a big fish in a small pond. Here, I’m not a small fish in a big pond. I’m up there on the junior level. I’ve played in a few tournaments and proved that. The Junior Worlds is one of the tournaments I’ve proved I’m not a bad player. I think I have a chance here.”

On the southeastern edge of South Africa, abutting the Indian Ocean, is the city of Durban. For 33 years, Zerman’s father has worked there as a cabinet-maker.

“It’s a lot like San Diego,” Zerman said of the city in which he was raised. “There’s a bit more wind, and the population is a little smaller. But it has the sea, and it’s pretty much the same.”

When Manny was 6, he and his older brother discovered golf.

“We were all soccer players in my family,” Zerman said. “In order to get to the soccer fields, we had to walk across the golf course. One day, my brother decided to try it. He took an old palm tree (frond) and starting hitting the ball around. My dad bought him a set of clubs and I saw him playing and I wanted to play, too.

“As I grew older, I started to pursue it further and decided maybe I could make a career out of it. It’s what I want to do.”

Zerman worked extensively with his brother and a local pro to the point where he says, “My short irons are one of my strong points, and I’m not a bad putter. I still need to get longer off the tee.”

Zerman is not oblivious to the civil rights question in his country and is candid about the controversy.

“I’m not much of one to discuss politics,” he said. “But my opinion is it’s not good. I disagree with what’s going on. America had its problems, and we’re having our problems now. I think it’s wrong, personally.”

Two factors came into play when the Hogues recommended a high school for Zerman to attend: academics and golf.

“They thought I needed a good education and preparation for college,” Zerman said. “University of San Diego High is a good prep school. And, obviously, it has a good golf program, too.”

The lucky benefactor in Zerman’s decision is Dave Thoennes, the USDHS coach, who already had a strong team led by Phil Mickelson, one of the top junior golfers in the country. The Dons now are substantially stronger and could be even better as Zerman and Mickelson push each other.

“On any given day, he can beat Phil, and Phil can beat him. They’re equal,” Thoennes said.

“He’s good,” said Mickelson, rolling his eyes and smiling. “That’s going to help the team immensely. It was easy for me to slack off on easy matches, but he’ll push me. To beat him, I’ll have to play as well as I can.”

Mickelson and Zerman might continue their teamwork/rivalry in college. Mickelson already has committed to Arizona State, and Zerman is leaning toward the Sun Devils.

Zerman said his grades are in order, but, like many foreign athletes attempting to enroll in U.S. colleges, he has struggled with the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

“It’s tough to do,” he said. “I haven’t met the requirements, unfortunately. I’ve been going to classes, and hopefully I’ll get it up to 700 to make myself eligible.”

Off the course, Zerman has found San Diego enjoyable but said he hasn’t made many friends.

“It’s been pretty hard because I’ve been isolated at the golf course and school all the time,” he said. “I haven’t had much social life. Making friends is difficult. I’ve made a lot of friends at the golf course, but outside I wouldn’t say I’ve made many friends.”

But Zerman says that’s of his own choosing.

“It’s the way I am,” he said. “At home, it’s the same thing. People will say to me, ‘Come to a party.’ But I can’t because I have to play golf the next day, whether it’s practice or playing. It’s been pretty much the same for me the past three or four years.”

Says Mickelson: “He inspires me. He practices all the time. If I’m not, I know I’m losing ground. Golf is his life.”

“Exactly!” Zerman said. “Golf is my life. I love being out here. To me, being out here is the only thing.”