Johann Rupert remembers his first meeting with Ernie Els very well, at a time when the Big Easy brand was just taking off.

“When I first met Ernie, he looked like a one-iron with ears,” he says.

And therein lies the success of Brand Els. In that line, “When I first met Ernie…”

Almost every South African golfer has a story to tell about Ernie Els. And this year, as the Vodacom Business Origins of Golf Tour celebrated the career of one of South Africa’s iconic sportsmen, those stories came to the fore.

Under the theme “Origins Goes Easy”, Els was afforded the opportunity to connect with his fans in an entirely unique fashion – through a series of six exclusive pro-am tournaments on the Sunshine Tour.

Backed by a premier brand such as Vodacom Business, the fit was a natural one as they partnered with one of South Africa’s most successful golfers.

And Els loved the idea from the start. “It’s been a tremendous honour for me to be associated with this year’s Vodacom Business Origins of Golf Tour.

“I’ve spent most of my life flying the South African flag on fairways around the world, and I’ve always competed to the best of my ability as a proud South African sportsman.

“But South African golf and companies such as Vodacom, who do so much to keep the game thriving, are the reason I am where I am today. It’s nice for me to be able to give back through a series such as the Vodacom Business Origins of Golf Tour – the series is a premier brand on the Sunshine Tour and the biggest single series on our Tour.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for me to be able to grow the Ernie Els brand and other ventures such as my wine and charity,” he adds.

As a networking exercise, the Vodacom Business Origins of Golf Tour has proved invaluable to the company, its VIP clients and partners as it travelled to the various regions in the country – enabling Vodacom Business to reward and interact with its key stakeholders in those regions.

The format of the series saw two amateurs partnered with the rising stars of the Sunshine Tour for two days of golf under professional tournament conditions.

And off the course, entertainment by leading South African comedians such as Nic Rabinowitz and John Vlismas; the presence of sporting celebrities such as Bryan Habana and Schalk Burger; as well as a sprinkling of stars such as Vanessa Haywood, Ard Matthews, Minki van der Westhuizen and Roxy Louw; and an exclusive dinner at the Big Easy restaurant in Stellenbosch combined to make this the most memorable golfing experience for any amateur.

In addition, each tournament in 2010 was played on golf courses personally selected by Els for their significance throughout his career, including venues such as Humewood Golf Course in Port Elizabeth, Gardener Ross Golf and Country Estate in Pretoria and Oubaai Golf Club near George for the final.

In return, the Els brand received the full backing of Vodacom Business. The company sponsored the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation for a full year, and provided one of their talented amateurs with a spot in each event to gain vital experience at this level.

Big Easy Wine was featured at every event, with a representative providing intimate tastings of the award-winning wines.

A total of 400 bottles of Big Easy Wine were handed out to the invited amateurs throughout the series.

The prizes reflected the personal nature of this series, and included giant photographs signed by Els, as well as pin flags bearing his signature.

And each event featured a personalised video message from Els to the golfers.

Els endorsed the charity element of the series, with the Birdies for Kiddies campaign raising R3 million for various charities, as the Vodacom Foundation matched every birdie or eagle made by an amateur or professional on the series with a cash donation.

The success of a series that debuted in 2004 is evidenced by the fact that the first year of the tour saw the professionals playing for R1.2m in total prize money.

This year, South Africa’s next generation of golf stars was able to compete for R3.1m in total prize money.

It is a message Els took to heart as well. “Having come through the ranks of the Sunshine Tour myself, I know the importance of creating playing opportunities for our professionals and giving them the chance to try and make it onto the global stage. The Vodacom Business Origins of Golf Tour does that.”

Michael Vlismas