Gary Player Recalls Troubling Past Memories in Emotional Confession: ‘Going Back to an Empty Home..’

Gary Player was only 8 years old when his mother, Muriel, died of cancer. Player’s father, Harry, worked long hours over 8,000 feet underground in gold mines. His sister, Wilma, attended boarding school, and his brother, Ian, fought with the Allies. As a result, Gary Player had to practically raise himself. The 2020 Old Tom Morris Award winner reflected in December 2019: “I had to travel an hour and a half to school and an hour and a half home. I’d get home, and there’s nobody there, and I’d cook my own food and iron my own clothes, and I’d lie in bed crying, wishing I was dead.” However, he persevered through these difficult childhood circumstances and is now here to tell us about it all, seven decades later.z`

He ultimately transformed his feelings of despair into a source of motivation that has positively impacted countless people worldwide. To explore when and why Player decided to make a difference, 1957 serves as a significant starting point. At the age of 21, he arrived in America with only $250 and a sense of maturity that his earlier experiences had instilled in him, pushing him to mature at a much younger age. So, recently, he visited the King Edward VII School and shared bits and pieces about his life. 

Having read an article about King Edward VII High School producing top sportsmen and businesspeople, including Gary Player, Graeme Smith, and Sir Donald Gordon, Player shared on his latest Instagram update, “It’s hard to describe in words what KES did for me as a young man. That environment, no doubt, helped forge my future into something that should have been impossible. KES was a safe haven for me where I could stay, especially after my mother died from cancer. You see, I had to travel a far distance to attend, so going home, it would have been just me going back to an empty home, with my father working in the goldmine, my brother fighting in WWII and my sister off at boarding school. Those long, lonely bus rides were worth it, and I was excited every day to see my friends and teachers who looked after me so well.” 

At just 8 years old, Player had to wake up at 5 AM, prepare for school, and travel there independently by tram, bus, and on foot, taking around an hour and a half to arrive. After school, he engaged in sports activities and returned to an empty home. “I endured a lot, which became the best thing that could have happened to me at that time.” He was motivated to succeed by the challenges he faced and the fact that he had nothing. He elaborated that achieving success requires not only determination but also a strong passion, stating, “work your butt off.”

In 2017, Player reflected on his challenging childhood, stating, “I did something that no athlete had ever done. I went through the torture cell.” He emphasized that these experiences shaped him into a champion, saying, “It’s the reason I became a champion: because I knew what it was to suffer. To struggle. And to never give up.” Player’s influence on golf went beyond his championship titles, impacting golf course design with around 400 projects across five continents and engaging in philanthropy, which reflected in the 2024 season as well.

Gary Player raised R2.5M for the Blair Atholl Pre-Primary School in 2024

The Player Foundation was established by Player in 1983 to support charities and enhance impoverished communities while expanding educational opportunities worldwide. Over the years, it has made significant contributions, including the establishment of the Blair Atholl School in Johannesburg, which provides essential services to its students.

In 2024, nine-time Major champion Gary Player successfully raised over R2.5 million (approx $84k) during the Gary and Vivienne Player Invitational held at the renowned Gary Player Country Club in Sun City. This pro-am event, which took place three weeks prior to the prestigious Nedbank Golf Challenge, brought together Sunshine Tour professionals, sports stars, business leaders, and friends to support a worthy cause. All proceeds from the two-day tournament were directed towards the Blair Atholl Pre-Primary School, which the Players opened in 1990 in the Lanseria area, northwest of Johannesburg. This school serves the children of local farmworkers and has grown to educate 125 children aged three to six.

Before that, in 2020, a remarkable moment occurred when Player, along with his famous friends like Lee Trevino and Dan Marino, presented a staggering $56.6 million to Mountain Mission School during the American Legends for Mountain Mission Kids charity golf event at The Olde Farm in Bristol, Virginia. This event marked the largest single-day charitable contribution in PGA Tour history. Chris Mitchell, the school’s President and CFO, expressed his amazement, stating, “It isn’t every day that somebody hands you $56.6 million.” 

What do you think of the legend giving back, despite his experiences? Let us know below!