[CHrisB]

I just returned from a trip to South Africa, where I was able to play a couple of nice courses (I'll submit a report on one in a separate topic) in the Cape Town area. As an aside, Cape Town is as fine a city as I have ever seen, and I would recommend everyone to take a trip there once in your life if you haven't already.

One of the courses I played (Erinvale GC, where they play the South African Open) was rated in the top 20 courses in South Africa, but I found myself thinking, "Nice course, but if it were in my hometown of Austin, Texas it would barely crack the top 5 in the area!" Looking at the rest of the list, only Durban CC has seemed to garner any international attention for its architecture (and not all that much).

In fact, I can think of no other country that has produced so many world-class golfers, with so few world-class golf courses. In fact, it could be argued that South Africa has no world-class courses.

But with apartheid now a thing of the past, and a whole country full of potential sites to explore, it seems that South Africa would have the ability to become a great golf destination, hopefully with its own version of St. Andrews, Royal Melbourne, or Cypress Point waiting to be found and built.

With places like New Zealand and Tasmania now being put firmly on the golfing map, when will it be South Africa's turn?

[Bob_Huntley]

Chris,

I am afraid you are only somewhat right. Most of the Cape courses are not much to write home about. Durban C.C. garners lots of attention but would be a non starter in America. Port Elizabeth and East London have a couple of tests and when the wind blows will fell most touring pros.

Royal Johannesburg has two courses  worth playing but my memories of some of the best of Southern African golf would be to go north to the former Rhodesias. What they are like now is beyond my comprehension but Nchanga G.C., Ndola G.C., and Mufilira G.c., in Zambia were exciting venues. Royal Salisbury and Chapman Golf Clubs were most challenging.

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

Until Gary Player builds better courses, I highly doubt that any great courses will be created.  However, there are a lot of good courses--especially hard courses.  People who play Glendower, Crown Mines, Wanderers, River, Royal Joberg, and Houghton in Joberg area will be forced to develop a top notch ballstriking and recovery game.  The coast regions require great wind playing skills.  It would be cool to rebuild Wild Coast--a potential great course.

[James Edwards]

Bob, Yes, Chapman is a fine course, and one I thoroughly enjoyed playing which is/was used as a sunshine tour venue.  A player from my area of Kent, now on the ET called Roger Chapman, won there - You can imagine the headlines can't you!!

Also, other courses Ive played would be Royal Harare (great track) and Leopards Rock (with bolders in the fairway, wonderful setting with all the wildlife), which IMO are worth a trip to play.  

[James Edwards]

The other course I couldn't remember was 'The Warren' where we were fortunate enough to play against the Zim Eisenhower Team - another great track typical of dry SA courses in the October.  

The reason why I say this, is because we played a fourball, a Kent select first team squad vs them, and in my game, we lost 8 and 7 and I was not over par!  They were brothers, one called Gary Thompson and I can't remember his brothers name..  A difference in quality that day, thats for sure!

[Bob_Huntley]

James J.S.Edwards,

My God, a GCA'er that has played some of my African favourites. I understand that Tony Trabor re-did Leopard Rock and it is a very good course. Denis Watson came out of the Warren Hills program as did Tony Johnson and Mark McNulty. Nick Price was a Chapman prodigy.

Roger Chapman played here at Cypress Point in 1981 for the British Walker Cup team. I thought that apart from Ronan Rafferty, he would be one of the stars of the European Tour.

[James Edwards]

Bob, great stuff...  I know Roger well and I know he would appreciate those comments..

Thanks for the information on where thoise boys came from, I didn't know that - all I know is that when we went to Chapman, Roger asked his coach, who was with us on the tour, to try and take something from the club which has Chapman on it....  (not totally serious)  so we tryed to buy a flag, which they didn't have, and then a top, but they didnt have anything nice, and so we ended up with a knapkin....  Thats poor isn't it!!

I didn't know Trabor did the renovations... What did you think of the track anyway?  On the 5th back up the hill, par 5 I think, we were greeted on the green by a gorilla and her family, the caddies told us to forget the ball and go to the next tee...  An original island green to at 9?

J

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