A South African Visit - 10 days of fabulous golf, food, superb scenery and outstanding accommodations..

by Barry Lotz of www.pgtaa.com

The land of Nelson Mandela, the heartache and the joy, the diversity, the unparalleled beauty, this all makes South Africa a truly fascinating and enchanting destination. The fairest of them all, the Cape Province, is one of the world’s most beautiful destinations. This is where Mandela spent 23 years of his life - on Robben Island just a short ferry ride from Cape Town.

As for golfers; Bobby Locke, Gary Player, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Trevor Immelman, Tim Clark and Rory Sabbatini are the golfing icons of this beautiful part of the world.

South Africa is a favorite destination for U.S. and European golfers and travelers because of its remarkable fusion of cultures, cosmopolitan cities, scenery, unforgettable wildlife-viewing opportunities at game parks and private game reserves, its popular wine regions, fabulous and inexpensive golfing and the high-quality of accommodations and outstanding cuisine (Click here to read the article in full)

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. (Click here to read the article in full)

What is a golf travel enthusiasts dream? Great golf, Great weather, Great Value! Now where does one find this heady mix? Try South Africa for size and youd be surprised at the choices. South Africa, one of the most beautiful countries on Earth is not just about wild safaris and great beaches; it is also an incredible golf holiday destination. South Africas golf is blessed by the presence of 300 plus sunny days, beautiful landscapes and courses designed to challenge players of all skill levels. With such ingredients the golf soup can only be delicious as golf tours to South Africa quickly find out.

Although South African boasts of over 500 courses laid out on such diverse terrains as coastal plains to mountains, the country is still a secret few golf holiday makers know about. But more and more people are getting in on it mainly due to the interest generated by world class courses like The Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, home to the Nedbank Golf Challenge, the worlds richest golf tournament.

The Gary Player Country Club built in the crater of an extinct volcano, boasts of one of the finest and challenging courses in the world. Rising like an Oasis from the bushveld around it, Sun City is home to this premium course that plays 6,938 meters for a par of 72. Start off your South Africa golf tour with this gem for its wide fairways of Kikuyu grass that make for a harrowing time on the greenside rough, slick, kidney-shaped greens which require patience and physical endurance and the cunningly placed water hazards that ensure your game is played more between the ears than on the ground. The signature ninth, more than the rest of the holes, totally justifies the green fees of just $39 didnt we say it was affordable?

While at the Sun City Resort, also add the Lost City Golf Course to your golf package for just R385. The verdant fairways and the dramatically placed bunkers make this Gary Player layout intriguing and testing at the same time. At 6,983 meters, this track is probably most famous for its 13th hole where water hazards inhabited by crocodiles come into play!

South Africa is an expansive country and your golf travel would leave you jaded if it werent for invigorating courses like Leopard Creek, ranked 25th on Golf Digests Top 100 Courses outside America. Bordering the Kruger National Park, Leopard Creek is an 18-hole championship course designed by Gary Player. For R1300 you must play this captivating course as a fantastic addition to your golf package.

South Africa offers stunning courses in almost every part of the country but your golf tour would be incomplete without playing courses like the Robert Trent Jones designed Wild Coast Country Club, set against a backdrop of the Indian Ocean (R350 R330), The Durban Country Club, Arabella Country Club and the Glendower Golf Club, host of The Transvaal Open.

The sheer quantity of courses in South Africa makes it impossible to swing away at all of them in just one golf tour, but do try to include The River Club Golf Course in Sandton, Johannesburg , George Golf Club near Fancourt and The Pecanwood Golf & Country Club Estate bordering the Hartbeespoort Dam.