MoreCorp: Growing the game and championing change

29 October 2026 – As the GolfRSA Women in Golf Charter continues to gain momentum across South Africa, MoreCorp stands out as a signatory whose commitment to growing the game and creating opportunities for all aligns naturally with the Charter’s objectives.

A uniquely South African sports and leisure business, MoreCorp has built its success on a philosophy of prioritising interactions over transactions. In doing so, it has created an inspiring local success story that demonstrates how business growth and growing the game can go hand in hand.

To understand MoreCorp’s natural alignment with the GolfRSA Women in Golf Charter, we need to turn back the clock to 1976 and a small store in Commissioner Street in the Johannesburg CBD.

This was where The Pro Shop story began. A pioneer in its field, the business set out to bring international golf brands to South African golfers at international prices. But even then, the ambition extended beyond selling equipment. The goal was to create a retail experience built around relationships – making friends, getting to know customers and helping people play better golf.

In 1993, the establishment of MoreGolf, the forerunner to MoreCorp, marked the beginning of a much broader golfing ecosystem. The opening of the Woodmead superstore was a major milestone, but the business faced a challenge: the South African golf market simply wasn’t growing as it could.

“Back then in the mid-1990s, the South African golfing market was very stagnant. Golf clubs were quite uninviting places and weren’t focused on growing communities or getting people into the game. It was very pale, very male, and very exclusive. In order for the market to grow and with that so too our potential customer base, we felt we had to literally grow the market ourselves,” explains Dan Egdes, MoreCorp’s Membership Division CEO and son of MoreCorp CEO and owner Daryl Egdes.

Daryl’s response was to create The World of Golf, a world-class golf and leisure facility designed to make the game fun, welcoming and accessible to everyone.

At the time, driving ranges were largely confined to golf clubs, where dress codes, rules and restrictions could make newcomers feel unwelcome. The World of Golf turned that traditional model on its head.

Drawing inspiration from the gym membership concept, it offered golfers unlimited access to practice balls, a variety of facilities covering every aspect of the game and, importantly, the freedom to enjoy golf on their own terms.

Nearly three decades later, that pioneering vision has helped establish one of South Africa’s most inclusive golfing environments, where the traditional barriers to participation have been replaced by a genuine sense of belonging.

And nowhere is that progress more evident than in the growing number of women embracing the game.

“When we opened The World of Golf the demographic was 99% male. Today through continuing to work on our ethos of inclusivity and growing the game, our female membership has grown to 22%. To put that into perspective, the average percentage for women golfers registered to golf clubs in South Africa currently sits at 12%,” says Dan.

The difference is striking. Spend a weekend at The World of Golf and the changing face of South African golf is there for everyone to see.

But MoreCorp isn’t resting on those achievements. Despite already being well ahead of the national average in female participation, the business recognises that there is still work to be done. Its commitment to creating more opportunities for women aligns closely with the objectives of the GolfRSA Women in Golf Charter.

“A key component to our success in creating a more inclusive environment has been the understanding that you need to communicate and appeal to different groups, in different ways. In this regard, we have created unique women focused initiatives and programmes for them to enjoy the game and, of course make sure we are constantly upgrading and refining our facilities to further enhance this,” Dan explains.

One of these initiatives is The World of Golf Ladies Club, which provides a welcoming introduction to golf while creating opportunities for women of all abilities to connect, learn and enjoy the game together.

MoreCorp offers four 12-week programmes annually, not only at The World of Golf but also at its Golf Village facilities.

The programmes combine coaching and practical guidance on different aspects of the game with social gatherings and organised rounds at local golf courses. The emphasis is as much on building confidence and friendships as it is on developing golfing skills.

And the benefits extend well beyond the practice facilities.

“Where we feel we are really having success, is where those who have joined our programmes are now making friends in this environment. So now we have women scheduling regular rounds together, going to golf tours together, and even growing their networks into business partnerships all on the back of their golfing engagements,” says Dan.

It is a powerful example of how introducing women to golf can create lasting connections, both on and off the course, and MoreCorp’s commitment to inclusion also extends into its own workforce.

Employing more than 1,000 people across its various business divisions, the company has seen a steady increase in women pursuing careers in golf retail, while others are taking on important roles in event and tournament management through its SAIL division.

As one of South Africa’s largest employers of qualified golf coaches, MoreCorp also recognises an opportunity to encourage more women into coaching careers, helping to create greater gender balance within the industry itself.

Another important focus is ensuring that women who discover golf through The World of Golf and Golf Village programmes have opportunities to take the next step. By working with golf clubs, MoreCorp aims to help newcomers make the transition from learning the game to becoming active members of their local golfing communities.

It is an approach that supports one of the GolfRSA Women in Golf Charter’s fundamental ambitions: not simply introducing more women to golf, but creating an environment where they feel welcome, supported and encouraged to remain involved.

And remarkably, it brings the MoreCorp story full circle.

Fifty years after The Pro Shop first opened its doors in Commissioner Street, the philosophy that inspired the business remains unchanged: make friends, get to know people and help them play better golf, more often. What began as a commitment to a better retail experience has evolved into something far greater – a business helping to shape a more welcoming, diverse and inclusive future for South African golf.

For MoreCorp, supporting the GolfRSA Women in Golf Charter isn’t a departure from its roots. It’s a natural extension of everything the business has stood for from the very beginning.