Cliffy Barnard

As Head Professional at Plettenberg Bay Country Club and Managing Director of Gimme Golf, Cliff Barnard is at the heart of golf on the Garden Route.

A PGA of South Africa member since 2002, he has spent close to three decades in the game and more than a decade leading the Plett Pro Shop operation, where his team runs club competitions, looks after members and visitors, and helps shape the everyday experience on one of South Africa’s favourite coastal courses.

Barnard is equally respected as a coach. He has guided a string of standout players, most notably Garrick Higgo, whom he has coached since the age of nine and who has gone on to win on the Sunshine, DP World and PGA Tours. He has also worked with the likes of Martin Vorster and Deon Germishuys, while running vibrant junior and development programmes in Plettenberg Bay that introduce youngsters from previously disadvantaged communities to the game. His work has been recognised with multiple PGA honours, including Southern & Eastern Cape Teaching Professional of the Year and Regional PGA Club Professional of the Year awards.

In 2025, Barnard will swap the lesson tee for the tournament tee box as he competes in the South African Senior Open on his home course. For members and locals, he is the familiar face behind the counter and on the range; for the Sunshine Legends Tour, he is the complete modern club professional – coach, mentor, community builder and still a very capable competitor.