Golf courses in South Africa
For the golf enthusiast, South Africa is a wonderful destination - and that's an understatement. The country boasts an ideal climate for spending time out on the fairways under the bright African sun, and golfers here are blessed for choice.
If you enjoy the challenge of a coastal course, there is a stunning selection available; if you prefer playing at altitude, where the ball flies that much further, the selection is just as good.
Probably the most famous golf course in South Africa is the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City, home to the Nedbank Golf Challenge, that offers the biggest first prize of any tournament in the world.
However, there are many other world-class courses that have featured on both the European PGA Tour as well as the local Sunshine Tour, and a wealth of excellent courses besides.
South Africa has produced a number of golfers of the highest calibre, including Gary Player, Bobby Locke, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Trevor Immelman - major winners all - and once you've experienced some of the courses we have to offer, you'll begin to understand why.
Start planning your golfing safari now!
SOUTH AFRICA'S TOP 10 COURSES
Leopard Creek
Rated the best course in South Africa, and 25th in the world outside the US by Golf Digest USA, Leopard Creek is situated on the border of the world-famous Kruger National Park.
Gary Player's design takes advantage of the natural environment, which is home to Africa's "big five" - lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo - and over 200 species of birds that make their homes in the surrounding trees, some of which are over 100 years old.
Players are protected from the wildlife by means of innovative architectural and landscaping techniques - although water hazards might include the odd hippopotamus or crocodile!
Gary Player Country Club
Host to the Nedbank Challenge, the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City in North West province features two holes that have ranked in Golf Online's list of the 500 best holes in golf: the 520 metre par-five ninth, and the 402 metre par-four eighteenth. Golf Digest USA has ranked the course at number 29 in the world outside the US.
The course is one of the longest in South Africa and certainly one of the toughest, with the rough especially punishing. It places a premium on accurate approaches, with plenty of bunkers and water hazards sprinkled around the layout to test even the best.
The Gary Player Country Club is part of Sun City, a marvelous entertainment complex that includes the Lost City and Lost City Golf Course, also designed by Gary Player.
Wild Coast Country Club
Designed by the world-renowned Robert Trent Jones, the course is set against the background of the Indian Ocean, making it beautiful - but punishing for those that stray into the rough.
When the wind gets up, as it does from time to time on the coast, the Wild Coast Country Club can present a very difficult challenge. The course isn't long, but it presents interesting and challenging changes in elevation, and while the fairways are wide, it is important not to stray from them at all.
The club's signature hole is the par-three thirteenth, which measures only 146 metres but is a real tester, and has been included in Golf Online's 500 best holes in the world.
- Tel: (+27) (0)39 305 2799
Fancourt Hotel, Country Club and Golf Estate
Located in the picturesque southern Cape, The Links at Fancourt hosted a memorable 2003 Presidents Cup clash between the USA and the International Team, as well as the inaugural Women's World Cup of Golf in 2005.
Ranked 59th in the world outside the US by Golf Digest USA, the course is unique in South Africa. Gary Player's design took a marvel of construction to piece together, with over 700 000 cubic metres of earth being moved to create a typical Links-style course on what had been a flat piece of land.
Perhaps the most eye-catching hole is the par-three second, with a bunker in the heart of the green. Despite the challenge of the bunker, Player reckons the contours on the green can be used to get the ball near the flag.
Durban Country Club
The Durban Country Club has hosted more South African Open Championships than any other in the country, with a list of winners that includes Gary Player, Bobby Locke, Bob Charles, Ernie Els and Tim Clark.
Built on old swampland surrounded by high dunes, the course blends into its surroundings as it undulates along the coastline a short distance from the Indian Ocean. The channels created by the dunes mean that the wind - depending on whether one is sheltered by a channel or not - is a very testing factor.
Golf Digest USA has ranked the course 62nd in the world outside the US, while three of its holes have been included in Golf Online's top 500. These all occur within the first five holes, starting with a par-three 176-metre second, followed by a par-five third that plays at anywhere from 460 to 513 metres, and ending with a par-four 461-metre fifth hole.
For some, the third is the best third hole in the world; for others it is the best par-five. Golf Online has rated it as high as 18th best hole overall in the world.
Arabella Country Club
Bordering the largest natural lagoon in South Africa, with the ninth, seventeenth, and eighteenth running parallel to the water, Arabella Country Club provides both a wonderful golf challenge and an eye-catching landscape. Designed by top local designer Pete Matkovich, the course has been ranked 100th in the world outside the US by Golf Digest USA.
It made a strong impact when Golf Digest named it the best new course in South Africa in 1999, and it has kept up the high standard it set early on, featuring regularly as one of South Africa's top-10 courses.
Glendower Golf Club
Built in 1937, Johannesburg's Glendower Golf Club made an early impact, hosting The Transvaal Open only two years into its existence. The winner was Bobby Locke in what was then a world record score of 265, after rounds of 66, 69, 66 and 64.
In the 1980s the course underwent major changes, with all 18 greens being reshaped and rebuilt, new tee positions being implemented, water hazards being cleared and extended, and new water hazards added.
The course hosted the South African Open in 1987, 1993 and 1997. Trees, water hazards - on 11 holes - and bunkers are plentiful. The signature par-four tenth has been included in Golf Online's 500 best holes in the world. It plays from 383 to 425 metres and features water on the left and tough bunkers on the right.
River Club Golf Course
The very exclusive River Club Golf Course in Sandton, Johannesburg is highly rated for its always immaculate conditioning. Unfortunately, only members and their guests have access to this scenic layout.
Apart from the course's stunning condition, the River Club also features one of the toughest finishing stretches to be found anywhere in South Africa. It is also a long course, playing to about 6 500 metres.
- Tel: (+27) (0)11 783 1166
George Golf Club
Situated not far from Fancourt on the Western Cape's beautiful Garden Route, the picturesque, rolling course is packed with trees. The front nine features only one par-three hole, but the back nine has three of them.
The signature hole, the par-three seventeenth, has been included in Golf Online's 500 best holes in the world. It's fairly long at up to 181 metres and it places a premium on accuracy, being the second-most difficult hole on the inward nine and the fourth most difficult overall.
Pecanwood Golf and Country Club Estate
Bordering Hartebeespoort Dam in North West province - within an hour's drive of both Johannesburg and Pretoria - the Jack Nicklaus-designed Pecanwood Golf and Country Club Estate is set against the backdrop of the beautiful Magaliesberg Mountains.
Although the course is flat, well positioned bunkers ensure that it offers a good challenge to golfers of all standards. The greens feature Crenshaw bent grass, which is extremely resilient and can therefore always be cut low and fast.
Golf Digest voted it best new course of the year when it opened in 1998.
SAinfo reporter
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