Staff WriterAllen John isn’t your typical touring pro. The German golfer, born completely deaf and armed with little more than a pair of hearing aids and a world-class short game, stormed onto the Sunshine Tour last week with a tie for fourth in the FNB eSwatini Challenge.
Now, the 36-year-old is setting his sights on this week’s R2 million Vodacom Origins of Golf tournament at Parys Golf & Country Club, where he’s hoping to make a little history.
And by “little,” we mean something that’s never been done before — not only has there never been a German winner in the series’ two-decade history, but certainly not one who plays the game without hearing the club strike the ball.
“When I was born, they didn’t do the hearing tests in the hospital. It was only later that my mother started to realise I wasn’t reacting to voices and sounds, and she then had tests done which confirmed my hearing impairment,” John explained.
Today, his hearing aids bring him up to about 85% capacity, but golf is still a game of touch for him in the purest sense.
“When it comes to golf, every noise has a certain frequency, and high-pitched tones like birds are almost impossible for me to hear even with the hearing aids,” he said. “A professional golfer would normally react to the sound of the ball on the club or how the club hits the ground. But I don’t recognise those sounds. I do everything based on touch and feel… and when there’s wind on the course it’s annoying because the hearing aid becomes like a microphone in the wind. But I get along just fine.”
Last week’s debut was a bit of a whirlwind — literally. John was still in Germany when he got the Saturday email offering him a late spot in the FNB eSwatini Challenge. “I had to be really creative in terms of how to get there. It was adventurous. It was a spontaneous trip and I’m enjoying it,” he said.
It’s not John’s first brush with South African fairways — he’s teed it up here in co-sanctioned events between the Sunshine Tour and HotelPlanner Tour. But losing his playing rights on the latter last season pushed him to commit fully to the Sunshine Tour, a move he’s already relishing.
“I always thought of the Sunshine Tour as a good option. It’s very competitive and there are a lot of good players. I’m still learning the golf courses here, but it’s a very professionally organised tour.
The pathways with the co-sanctioned events on the DP World Tour and HotelPlanner Tour and also the exemptions into the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School are incredible. These are all avenues that help us as players. It’s a great opportunity to be playing here.”
A win this week would not only be a personal breakthrough but a genuine first in the Vodacom Origins of Golf’s history. For John, it’s not just about making the cut — it’s about contending.
“I had a chance to win last week and finished tied fourth. My form is definitely trending in the right direction. I know I’m capable of winning golf tournaments. I just need to keep working hard and be patient.”
If last week’s performance was any indication, Allen John might just have the feel — and the story — to pull it off.
