Nobuhle Dlamini became the first female professional player from her country, Eswatini, when she turned pro back in 2014.
Having graduated from the University of Pretoria, Dlamini went to the LET’s Q School and secured status then playing on Tour for the coming season.
It was her father Johannes who introduced her to the game of golf and only when she was about 18 did the decorated amateur begin to think about playing professionally.
“I started playing golf at the age of 12, and it was my father that introduced me to the game,” she said. “My dad played when I was a child and I used to spend lot of time with him when he went to play golf.
“He started out as a caddie and then ended up playing professionally. Then in the early 2000s he started a golf academy, and I became a part of that, so that’s how I started.
“I enjoyed it when I started playing, but I decided that I wanted to take it seriously when I was about 18 and had finished high school, and that’s when I started think about playing professionally.”
Dlamini was a highly decorated amateur player breaking into the top 10 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings in 2012 thanks to winning six titles.
Further victories in Amateur Championships saw her ranking rise and after graduating she headed to Q-School and came away with her card.
“I went to the University of Pretoria, and as soon as I graduated I went to Q School and got my card, and I’ve been playing here ever since,” she explained.
“I went to university because I see knowledge as power, and education is important. I don’t regret going to university at all, I learned a lot through the years of studying and I believe it’s a process that everybody should go through because it’s very useful for life.
“Q School was amazing, it was really different to what I was used to because I hadn’t played a lot of international golf, all that I understood was that I was playing golf that week so that I will be able to play professionally.
“It went really well, and I enjoyed the first time I went, coming onto Tour was also really nice and a great experience. I enjoyed it right from the start and I still love it now.”
Despite her love for life on Tour, it did take a little bit of adjusting to playing in Europe with differing weather conditions and a stomach issue.
She continued: “It was very challenging at the start to adjust to life on tour, I had to do a lot of adapting – the weather in Europe is very different to where I come from, the golf courses were different, the food was different, so I struggled in the beginning.
“I had a problem with my stomach in the early stages, and to this day I still don’t know what it was, but I’m fine now.
“My game was progressed really well over time, there could be lots of improvements, but I’ve had some really good years – as well as some not so good – but I think it’s on the rise now.”
And nearly eight seasons later, the 31-year-old believes her best is yet to come having had her best season to date on Tour.
“This year has been a very good year,” she said. “I turned pro in 2014, I felt I was playing well then but there weren’t that many tournaments to play in, so I was debating whether I was in the right career.
“Even after such a long time as a professional this has been the best year for me on the LET – I’ve played so many tournaments, I’ve learned so much – and with the Tour going so well there are plenty more chances to play.”
Dlamini has played in 19 events in 2022 leaving her 74th on the Race to Costa del Sol and began the season with T8 at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open.
However, the Eswatini professional especially enjoyed the KPMG Women’s Irish Open – even if it did have some typical Irish weather in there – and it was an event where she finished T11.
She continued: “I absolutely loved the new event in Ireland this year, I absolutely loved the golf course there I thought it was beautiful, even though the weather was interesting!
“In the UK and Ireland, there is so much golf being played, but it always seems to be in the rain, but overall that week was a great experience.
“I’m looking forward to building on this year in 2023 and playing even better golf than I have been doing, and working my way up the rankings, that’s the most exciting part for me.”
