Malika Allie strolls confidently to the tee box and addresses the ball. Her movements are fluid and graceful, yet generate a force behind the ball that belies her diminutive frame. “I picked up golf in high school and fell in love with the game,” the athlete shares with a crisp accent. “It’s a humbling sport, but it can bring so much to your life.”
The game is what brought the British-born South African to the states. Coming out of high school in Cape Town, she accepted a scholarship to play at USC Upstate, in 2012. “It was harder than I anticipated,” she divulges. “Being so far from family that first year was tough. Things are so spread out here. It was a lifestyle change and it forced me to be independent right out of high school. It was quite a big adjustment.”
She conquered the Upstate, just as she’s conquered courses around the globe, and after graduation, decided to stay and teach others the game that’s given her so much. She’s worked with women and juniors at Thornblade Country Club since 2018, as an assistant golf professional and junior coordinator. “That’s my passion,” the 30-year-old reveals. “Golf is such a great sport for any player. You don’t have to have a ton of athletic skill in physical terms, as long as you have good balance and hand-eye coordination, you can be successful. And like any other sport, you’ll get out what you put into it.”
Now married to a golfer she met at Haas Family Golf, Malika balances life and links with her passport in hand. She’s just returned from a month off, visiting family overseas. Her parents split their time between South Africa and England. “If we decide to start a family, it would be nice to be closer to my parents and siblings,” she admits. “The fortunate thing about golf is you can take it anywhere. Courses are always looking for female golf pros. It’s a career I can take with me wherever I go.”
She’s content to hit the links in the Palmetto State. “This is a really, really good place for golf and one of the reasons I picked this area coming out of college,” she says. “The weather promotes really good courses here and we can play for most of the year. It’s also easy to get down to the coast, to play on slightly different terrain.” Head Golf Pro Brandon Motley is happy she’s based out of Thornblade, saying, “She’s a great team member. She connects so well with our players and juniors, sharing her love of the game.”
No matter the course, golf has equipped her to swing through life. “It teaches you responsibility, respect for others and respect for yourself,” she says. “The game is similar to what you see in life: we hit good shots and bad shots. You just have to bounce back and grow as a person. If you hit a bad shot, just make the next one, a better one.” Solid sport and life tips from the Thornblade pro.
More with Malika
Pronounced Mal’ eh ka
5’4” tall
Played competitive water polo, field hockey, and basketball in South Africa
Has hit 73 several times in tournament play
