The 55-Year Nomad: Jimmy Sales
Jimmy was inducted into Northerns Transvaal Nomads (now Northerns Nomads South Africa) 55 years ago, September 1971, and has since become a legend in Nomads (to many, the face of Nomads). We hope that the details below truly demonstrate why “Uncle Jimmy” is much-loved and respected by WP Nomads and indeed the wider Nomads fraternity, both in SA and abroad. Jimmy’s Nomads career has spanned a few clubs. After Northerns, he spent time in Nomads Golf Club – Natal and then transferred back to Pretoria and re-joined to Northerns, before being transferred down to Cape Town where he joined Western Province (for the first time). His last transfer (at the time) was back to Johannesburg, where he joined Easterns and spent most of his Nomads career, until 2025.
Jimmy served on the Easterns Nomads Committee for many years culminating in him being the Captain of Easterns in 1991. He handled their Golforama portfolio and was also the Nationals coordinator for many, many years. Jimmy was made an Honorary Member of Easterns Nomads in March 2000.
The highest level of recognition that can be awarded to a Nomad for long and meritorious service to Nomads and the game of golf, is Honorary Life Membership and Jimmy was inducted as the 20th Honorary Life Member at the Hornbill Nationals at Koro Creek in March 2024. In addition to being awarded HLM status, Jimmy’s Nomadic achievements over the last 55 years are many, here are just a few highlights:
– He has played 615 monthly games, and is only the 3rd Nomad to have played more than 600 games
– He has won 10 or 12 Silver Salva’s (too many to count)
– He has attended 55 consecutive SA Nationals, winning many awards (his more recent ones include Winning the Captains Cup and the Fernyhough’s Gold Salver in 2000 and 2020; Winning the Prometheus trophy in 2020 and representing the Easterns team during each 7 of their Bert Hunt wins
– He has also attended 22 Botswana Nationals; 11 Zimbabwean Nationals, 9 Swazi Nationals and 2 Zambia Nationals …. A true Nomad in every sense of the word
– Jimmy has performed Golforama duties for more than 50 years and was given an Honorary send off by the Sunshine Tour, when he officiated at his last tournament before leaving Gauteng. Mr Sales you are truly one of a kind, and WP Nomads, Nomads SA and various Nomads clubs around the world are proud to count you as one of our own
