Jacobs Finds Comfort In Camaraderie

4 November 2021: A year on from a motorcycle accident which left his right-arm paralysed, Steve Jacobs has found comfort in the camaraderie within the SADGA. 
 
In Mosselbay completing his year of community service in 2020, Jacobs harboured aspirations of one day becoming a surgeon. As he explains, however, a motorcycle accident threw a spanner into the works and altered his future.
 
“I have a brachial plexus injury in my right-arm which is causing complete paralysis in the arm,” Jacobs says. 
 
Rather than dwell on the unfortunate turn of events, Jacobs remains eager as ever to make a contribution to the medical profession.
 
“I’ve enrolled in further studies at my alma mater Stellenbosch University where I also do research with the Cardiometabolic Research Group.
 
“It [my disability] is an adjustment that I’m still getting used to. From working on becoming a surgeon to now being an academic and student again, It’s an evolving process that I’m still getting used to.”
 
Jacobs first began playing golf while at university but it was only in 2018 while working in East London that he started to play regularly. 
 
Months after the accident, boredom drove Jacobs to the driving range to see whether he could still play the game. The results were astonishing. Having battled neuropathic pain in the wake of the accident, Jacobs found that golf alleviated the pain he felt. 
 
“I took out my clubs and hit some balls with one arm. I was amazed at how well I was able to make contact with the ball,” says Jacobs. 
 
“Then I started going to the driving range just for some exercise and to get out. Later I realized that I don’t experience any pain in my arm whenever I’m hitting balls at the range”. 
 
Now fully immersed in the game, Jacobs often practices for hours on end to develop his skills.
 
His fellow SADGA members meanwhile have demonstrated to him that he is not alone.
 
“I appreciate the camaraderie and feeling of belonging. Being around people who have experienced  hardships in their lives too brings an ironic type of comfort; ‘I will be okay because here are all these people who went through worse than me and who still face a lot of challenges and they are doing just fine’.” 
 
 Friendship and belonging are what Jacobs is most looking forward to about the Canon Gauteng Open. Good golf would just be a bonus.
 
“I’m not so much bothered by results in terms of scoring, but I’d be happy if I play well and see my hard work paying off. 
 
“If I can make two rounds under 96 I’d be very happy with that.
 
“I will be a lot more relaxed for Gauteng. I kind of know what to expect and I’ve met many friends in Uitenhage who I’m looking forward to playing with in Gauteng.”