South Africa is the land of Mandela and the apartheid movement, the land of wild safari’s and modern urban centres, the land of Player, Els & Goosen, the land of beautiful golf courses and challenging golf holes and so to the challenge of picking a signature 18 in South Africa.

Pezula Championship Golf Club
Hole No 1 PAR 5 Yards 540
Pezula Championship Golf Course was awarded South Africa’s best new course shortly after opening and is certainly a sweeping spectacle of fairways and greens rolling through the pristine Southern Cape landscape. The first offers amazing vistas.

Durban Country Club, Durban South Africa
Hole No 2 PAR 3 Yards 176
Apocalyptic dunes, the Indian Ocean and the Durban Skyline are all in view from the tee on Durban’s signature second hole. From an elevated tee you will carry a small valley to the green which is surrounded by 4 well placed bunkers.

Durban Country Club, Durban South Africa
Hole No 3 PAR 5 Yards 513
Durban Country Club was largely reclaimed from old swampland yet the 3rd hole gives mixed messages as to the courses genesis. Beginning as it does from over 60ft in elevation, you quickly descend into a dune safari; giving this hole the aura of South Africa’s finest. Having negotiated the fairway you return to an elevated and sloping green defended by a signatory bunker at the rear.

Atlantic Beach Golf Course, Cape Town, South Africa
Hole No 4 PAR 5 Yards 499
The views from South Africa’s golf tees are reason enough to visit, try the 4th at Atlantic Beach. Teeing into a blind fairway, you will likely use Table Mountain in the background as your marker. The green has the usual distractions as well as memorable views of Robben Island and Table Bay.

Durban Country Club, South Africa
Hole No 5 PAR 5 Yards 461
Ok, we are biased but the Durban Club, host of some 15 South African Opens is a little special so we feel justified in our 3rd inclusion in the opening five. An opening stretch many see at the toughest in world golf. The long par 4, 5th has the virtue of being defended from the beguiling Indian Ocean winds by a tree lined fairway yet jungle foliage and jungle primates are never too far away.

Fancourt Country Club (Montagu Course), Blanco, South Africa
Hole No 6 PAR 5 Yards 456
Fancourt Country Club combines a spectacular setting on South Africa’s famous Garden Route with 4 challenging and varied layouts. The downhill 6th is without doubt the Montagu’s signature hole, guarded by bunkers, woodland and a small stream the fairway is downright nasty. While the green has its challenges it’s generally fair.

Observatory Golf Club, Johannesburg, South Africa
Hole No 7 PAR 5 Yards
Observatory Golf Club was the home club of the great Bobby Locke and is one of the oldest golf clubs in South Africa. Opened with 9 holes in 1912 it got its full complement in 1922. Narrow fairways and small greens define the Observatory Club. The 7th is a beautiful hole, from the elevated green you can see into downtown Johannesburg. Once the fairway is negotiated a small green is defended by a green side pond.

Gary Player Country Club, Sun City, South Africa
Hole No 8 PAR 4 Yards 431
As befitting South Africa’s most famous golfing son, the Gary Player Golf Course is seen by many as its toughest golf course. The eight has some un championship like challenges by way of a half blind tee shot, a clover leafed green and the constantly fierce South African sun.

Arabella Golf Course, Kleinmond, South Africa
Hole No 9 PAR 4 Yards 297
One of the most beautiful courses in the whole of South Africa, Arabella sits at the foot of Kogelberg Nature Reserve. Arabella is a Peter Matkovich creation and his subtle hand is to be seen throughout, particularly on the panoramic par 4, 9th. Short as par 4’s go the hole is reflective of the course, challenging enough to make it a rewarding experience but no so challenging as to stifle the enthusiasm for a return visit.

Glendower Country Club, Edenvale, South Africa
Hole No 10 PAR 4 Yards 450
It’s all about numbers at Glendower. Firstly it’s the once world record number of 265, the number of shots that it took Bobby Locke to win here in 1939, or how about 11 which represent the number of holes with a genuine water hazard. The 10th poses all sorts of challenges, from a narrow well bunkered fairway to a second that will have to avoid two water hazards. Arriving at the green you will have the opportunity to appreciate the abundance of nature on offer at Glendower.

Royal Johannesburg (East Course), Johannesburg, South Africa
Hole No 11 PAR 4 Yards 500
Many of you are probably thinking they should not be allowed created par 4’s this length but don’t be alarmed, they have 5 different tees which allow for a more manageable hole if 500 yards seems a bit daunting. By way of obstacles the hole features several giant poplars as well as that South African favourite, a water hazard.

Fish River Country Club, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Hole No 12 PAR 5 Yards
With breath taking vistas of the Indian Ocean from many of the holes, the Fish River Sun Country Club is a beautiful parkland track. The 12th is for many the signature hole at which the Old Women’s River has to be passed not once but twice. The Gary Player creation is a great challenge in the Eastern Cape.

Wild Coast Sun Country Club, Port Edward, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
Hole No 13 PAR 3 Yards 183
As intimidating a par 3 as South Africa has to offer, the 13th at Wild Coast features a deep ravine, jungle vegetation and a cascading waterfall. By way of relief Robert Trent Jones Jr offered a large landing area for the relatively short tee shot, that said miss the generous green and your round is in trouble.

Fancourt Country Club (Links Course), South Africa
Hole No 14 PAR 4 Yards 361
Links Golf and South Africa may not be synonymous but at the majestic Fancourt Estate there is such a layout. Mounding dunes and persistent wind are ultimately the tell tail signs though unlike the Scottish & Irish versions Fancourt dunes are man made. Short at 361 yards the key on the 14th is accuracy, the green is small by any standards.

Mowbray Golf Club, Cape Town, South Africa
Hole No 15 PAR 4 Yards 422
One of South Africa’s oldest clubs Mowbray will celebrate its centenary in 2 years time. The 15th features some classic views of South Africa famous landmarks the Devil’s Peak & Table Mountain. Avoid the large bunker to the left as you approach the green and you should hold par here.

Plettenberg Bay Golf Club, Plettenberg Bay, South Africa
Hole No 16 PAR 4 Yards
The 16th at Plettenberg Bay may be a surprise inclusion, but this beautiful layout on the Garden Route rolls though high vegetation and lush greenery. The 16th is played from an elevated tee and provides views of the holes challenges that lay ahead, which include a river and deep greenside bunkers.

Erinvale Golf Course, Somerset West, South Africa
Hole No 17 PAR 4 Yards 481
Few courses in the world feature such spectacular mountains as the Helderberg Range that frame Erinvale. The 17th is for many the courses signature hole, a long challenging par 4. From the tee avoid the trees to the left and you should be ok, though a heavily undulating green can be very tricky.

Gary Player, Sun City, South Africa
Hole No 18 PAR 4 Yards 483
As befitting a South African signature 18 we finish at the Gary Player creation in Sun City. Not so much a dog leg as an inverted boomerang, the 18th requires above all an accurate drive. After that it is just a case of carrying the lake and putting out on the beautiful but undulating green

Ok, so our creation is a little unnatural with 6 par 5’s in the opening 7 holes but hopefully it gives a flavour of what South Africa has to offer. At places wild and untamed in others sophisticated and luxurious, a visit to South Africa will engage the full extent of your golfing skills….