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C. Sturges

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South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« on: January 02, 2017, 02:58:05 PM »
Hello all,
I am looking to go to South Africa and wanted to seek some advice.  I have looked over past threads and it looks like golf is not the best in the world, but still looks exciting.  I want to travel by car from Johanasberg to Cape Town.
The courses I am looking at:
Leopard Creek
Durban CC
East London
Humewood
St. Francis Links
Fancourt
Pinnacle point
These seem to be the courses discussed most and look interesting from the photos I have seen.  Are there any courses I am missing that would be a must see?
Also planning on going to Sambi Sands and Addo parks to see the animals.  I am sure there are other places people will recommend.


Thank you all for your recommendations!
chris

Keith Phillips

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2017, 03:22:46 PM »
I haven't played golf in South Africa so this may be OT.  South Africa is truly one of the world's great countries to visit.  I took my young family for 15 days a decade ago - we started at a small game reserve near Port Elizabeth (Shamwari) then rented a car and drove to Cape Town via the Garden Route.  We spent time in Plettenberg Bay, Knysna, Franscheok and Hermanus and loved the entire trip - spectacular scenery, very affordable, and our experience totally safe.  Durban is on my top 100 bucket list so I will be back eventually.

Tommy Williamsen

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2017, 06:43:17 PM »
Leopard Creek and Durban are way out of your way if you are going from Jburg to Capetown. Fancourt is on the way. Enjoy South Africa. I've been three times. It is a big country so don't try to do everything. Unless you really want to go to Capetown the east has plenty to do. It is a long drive from Jburg.
Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Paul Rudovsky

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2017, 09:12:16 PM »
VERY long drive from Jburg to CT.  IMO Humewood is the best track in the country by far...and Leopard Creek is one of the most overrated courses anyplace

Scott Warren

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2017, 09:49:58 PM »
Durban CC is fantastic.


Hlhlue Imfalozi game park north of Durban is superb if you find your travels take you near it. Hilltop camp is a bit more lux but Mpila camp is rustic and a lot of fun.

Criss Titschinger

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2017, 11:24:52 AM »
Chris,

As Robben Island is very high on my bucket list, I've looked into this sort of trip. The equivalent (time) drive from J'burg to CT is from Cleveland to about mid-Nebraska; not including stops.

I guess it depends the focus of your trip. Like Tommy said, South Africa is a big country and I think it would be tough to see everything unless you're going to be there a month or more. Durban CC seems to be a mandatory golf play, but that's on the other side of the country from Cape Town. Even Fancourt is almost 5 hours from Cape Town.

Good luck with the itinerary and trip!

Thomas Dai

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2017, 11:49:16 AM »
Some questions if I may.
What time of year are you thinking of going? How long are you planning on going for? How many of you will there be? Do you see this as a primarily sightseeing trip with some golf attached or as a golf trip where you see some sights on the way between courses?
atb


PS - Leopard Creek is east of J'burg and thus in the opposite direction to the other places you mention which are all south or SW.

Pete Lavallee

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2017, 03:36:34 PM »
I am in South Africa right now, on my third trip as my sister in law lives here. We have based our trips out of Cape Town and have twice driven the Garden Route along the Southern shore. It's a long drive from Capetown to Port Elizabeth. We were advised not to attempt the drive from Port Elizabeth to Durban as the only road goes inland. There are numerous reasonably priced inter city flights which can cut out the long drives. Even without the golf there is much to see and do and the current 14 to 1 exchange rate is very attractive. We had lunch at the Player designed Erinvale yesterday and had 2 bottles of wine, starter, mains, desert and after dinner drinks for 4 and even with a 20% tip paid less than $100! Sadly the wind is howling today and there are 3 fires raging very close by. If you go to the trouble get to Fancourt, Port Elizabeth and Humewood is not far away, you can fly to Durban from there. We will be trying Joburg for the first time in a few weeks. South Africans have a strange tradition of stopping for lunch between nines for 15 minutes, and not just a hot dog huge plate lunches; no wonder they are good at rugby!


Here's a rundown of the courses we've played:

Humewood 8:  Designed by H V Hotchkin this is my favorite in SA. Not on the water but only a few hundred yards away this course plays very much like a links. The fairways are Bermuda although there was a lot of Kikuyu on the lower spots of the rippling terrain. They were making an effort to irradiate it 6 years ago, not sure how that's coming along. The design accommodates the wind and presents a classic strategy of challenging obstacles to gain advantage. There are a few world class holes with very little letdown.

Durban CC 7:  On a par with Humewood this is jungle golf played over Kikuyu covered sand dunes just a motorways width away from the Indian Ocean. The jungle off the fairways is very penal but there is still decent width. Again there are several world class holes but a few mundane ones too. Interestingly Pasalum grass was discovered here as the course is often flooded by the Indian Ocean, giving it salt water resistance.

Fancourt 7:  Gary Players opus is really a good course with nice width and a reasonable facsimile of links golf. The bunkers are revetted with tubular sand bags which is quite unique. Several water features detract rather than add to the experience. We didn't play either of the 2 other courses here.

George GC 4:  A nice old school course in a pleasant environment with good topography, definetly worth a play if in the Fancourt area.


Plettenburg Bay 4:  This course dates to the 1950's I believe and is not glaringly modern. Some nice holes with decent movement in the land, a fun day out amoungst the many baboons that inhabit the course.

Pinnacle Point 5:  The Wolf Run of SA this is more of roller coaster ride than a golf course. The three cliff side holes on each nine are spectacular but the connecting holes are quite severe. Peter Matkovic just doesn't like wide fairways which is crazy in an area that gets 30+ mph winds on a regular basis. Definetly worth one play though.

Southbroom 4:  Close to Wild Coast in the beachside communities an hour south of Durban this was recommended by gca'ers as a place you could cut loose with a good round after playing championship courses.


Knysna 3:  Situated near the famous lagoon in this resort city it's actually better than it looks from the road. Nothing to write home about.

Pezula 4:  A crazy Ron Fream cart ball track in Knysna built on land far too steep for a good golf course. Has some memorable holes but is totally unwalkable.


The Cape Town area has several solid courses but nothing truly world class:



Royal Cape 6:  Flat as a pancake, the 4 foot high pimple on the long par 4 on the front nine is the biggest elevation change on the course! Still the C M Murray layout provides solid golf in a well manicured setting. A fantastic set of push-up greens with wonderfully 3 dimensional bunkering. Great mix of holes with a nice and long short par 4, varied par 5's and interesting par 3's. Best Kikuyu fairways I've seen, probably because everyone walks with very few buggies, amazing such a tough grass can't stand cart traffic! This would be the old money course in Capetown.

Atlantic Beach 5:  After one play this course evokes a love, hate response. It's truly a housing course, every hole played through a corridor of very nice housing which is tastefully well removed from the boundaries. The course never quite gets to the beach, my guess would be 500 yards. But it does evoke a seaside environment. Built on sandy ground it was originally planted with Bermuda, but the Kikuyu takes hold in the low spots and spreads from there. This actually gives a nice contrast as the high spots of the mounds are a lovely tawny color. The greens are still bent and roll fantastically true. The 6th and 7th holes could easily hold a spot in an all SA eclectic. The front nine is really good, however I felt let down by the back nine where several holes reminded me of condo canyon golf in the US. 

Westlake 4:  Built in the 1930's this course fully accommodate the strong SW winds that blow quite frequently here. The fairways are plenty wide and lined with the ubiquitous stone pines and eucalyptus trees. The site has an overall tilt so there is nice movement to the land. Greens rolled quick and there are a nice variety of green shapes and sizes. The fairways are predominantly Kikuyu, but there is a mixture of Bermuda and cool season grasses as well. The most popular course they do 57,000 rounds a year. Centrally located near Constantia.

Mowbray 4: Interesting green shapes make this a fun course to play. They were transitioning to paspalum greens 3 years ago, hopefully they are up to speed now.

Rondebosch 4:  Very quick Poa Annua greens make the course, the river comes into play on several holes.

Clovelly 4:  A sporty resort style course that makes a nice day out.

Steenburg 4:  Another Matcovic layout that is a bit gimmicky in spots. The landscaping that separates the course from the housing estate is incredible, the golf course not so much. Great food and wine offerings here. The course was recently closed for a year due to an irrigation issue forcing them to rebuild all their greens.

Milnerton 4:  This course is right on the Ocean but was in a transition period of trying to be a links. The Kikuyu fairways were firm and dry enough to bounce balls onto greens but they were in the process of elimating penal parkland features; I hope they succeeded. Adding housing in the middle of the out and back layout compromised it somewhat.


Erinvale 4:  This Gary Player housing estate course throws the kitchen sink at you with bunkering styles. There are sand bag revetted pot bunkers, cone shaped bunkers with wooden sleepers on the faces and the more traditional style thrown in for good measure. The front nine is flat withe back nine taking you into the hills for some spectacular views of Strand Beach and Gordon's Bay. At the 21, year mark Poa Annua has completely taken over the greens. A golfer behind us walked and carried so I know it's possible, but they pander to the cart rider here.

Durbanville 3:  A decent local municipal course.

Somerset West 3:  Built in 1908 the course consists of 3 paddocks, separated by a train line and a road where cars are going 60 mph, plan your crossing carefully! They will be doing a complete redesign next year to eliminate the farthest paddock which could be unsafe for a group of 2 ladies.

Strand 3:  Next to Gordon's Bay on the eastern side of False Bay this is modern course built to sell condos, thankfully they are all to one side, completely separate from the golf course. I'll bet they can mow the greens in an hour as they are the smallest most undulated greens I've seen on a modern layout! Only 100 yards from the sea it's a bit tight to accommodate the stiff winds that are common in the area.


Johannesburg area:


Glendower 7:  A true Championship course this place is like Africa itself, big, wide shouldered and tough as nails. Although C H Allison only designed the course, the construction was supervised by the local pro, there is an obvious touch of brilliance to the layout. The course plays through wide corridors with at least 40 yards separating parallel holes. The pure Kikuyu fairways have ample width, there is a clumpy wired grass in the rough that complicates offline shots. Sadly they thought their course a bit to easy and planted saplings in the 10 yard corridor of rough just off the fairways a year ago. The numerous waterways provide an ideal environment for weeping willows, which normally are out place on a golf course but work perfectly here as they are well removed from the line of play. The bunkering is outstanding, well placed with a lovely 3 dimensional aspect. They play really hard as anyone who watched this years SA Open would witness as they have an extremely fine grain, but unlike the beach sand bunkers of the U.K. they club digs instead of bouncing; just ask Rory how tough they are as his two shots out of the bunker on 17 cost him the Championship. The course is incredibly long, 7685 from the tips, 7213 from the regular men's tees and 6022 from the ladies!  If one accepts the there is a 10% gain from the altitudes it seems acceptable but from my experience if you don't launch you shots high its of little use. The greens are quite large, really firm and quite well contoured with many slopes and ledges. The course also has the luxury of lots of room to the sides which helps accommodate big events like the SA Open. A must play if in the Joburg area.


Houghton 5:  We showed up expecting to play a 1926 design that hosted 8 SA Opens and several Dunhill Cups. But as we drove in, the in vogue style of frilly edged bunkers were in view and something was amiss. Faced with a financial issue and with new members disappointed with the tiny old clubhouse the membership voted on a plan which sold small parcels at the periphery of the course for the development of 7 story condominium blocks. Armed with cash they hired Jack to blow up their course and completely reconstruct it; they did end up with a beautiful new clubhouse complete with a swimming pool on the 3rd floor. The new course has an extremely convoluted routing and has numerous frilly edged bunkers with a rust colored sand to thwart the army of long hitting South Africans. It is a pleasant course to play but our caddy indicated that the old course was both more enjoyable and popular; the members complain that there are too many bunkers but are all extremely proud of their new clubhouse. In the end it seems a pity that the home of SA golfing legend Sid Brews was blown up just to get a new Clubhouse.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2017, 03:36:11 AM by Pete Lavallee »
"...one inoculated with the virus must swing a golf-club or perish."  Robert Hunter

C. Sturges

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #8 on: January 04, 2017, 11:54:23 AM »
Thank you all for your great insights.


To answer some of the questions, yes it will be a lot of driving.  Figured it was a great way to see the country.  Also, I was not sure how much time would be saved with adding some flights, with having to return and pick up rental car and checking into airports.  As of now have 3 days for driving.


There are two of us going on this trip unless this motivates some people to want to go golfing in South Africa.  We will be there the last week of April going into May, close to 3 weeks.  This is just a vacation, and are hoping to split the time with golf, animal safaris, and seeing a new country.  I know the ideal would be multiple trips, but I do not seem to make back to many places I have been before and there are many other places I still want to go.


The main goal is to get a real feeling of South Africa and to have some wonderful memories.


Thanks!  I look forward to hearing more great advice!


chris

Thomas Dai

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #9 on: January 04, 2017, 01:42:47 PM »
Chris,
Some pointers -
Outside the cities the main roads are of very good quality, wide with little traffic. Lessor roads are also fine. Below that expect dirt tracks. Given the distances you may be driving don't scrimp on the hire car.
Food is cheap, high quality and the portions are huge! Game is farmed and tasty.
Wildlife/marine life - game-parks are frequent. If you do want to play Leopard Creek, well it's in the Kruger, so wildlife is on the doorstep. The Garden Route also has many gameparks and the Cape area is great for seeing whales, even sharks, penguins etc. All a bit seasonal though, not necessarily year round.
The further north the more bugs/insects to bite you so you may need jabs beforehand. Less so along the southern coast.
Inland can be really, really hot. Big hat time.
When the sun goes down it can get surprisingly cold and along the southern coast it can be very windy.
Many of the smaller towns have golf courses as well, maybe the kind of courses that would be considered under the radar in other places but provide something different to the usual bigger names and resorts and can thus be memorable. Greenfees are inexpensive.
Have a great time and post some photos or course photo-tours on your return.
Atb


Philip Gawith

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2017, 02:27:06 PM »
Chris, South Africa is a great country to drive in - partly because the roads are good and traffic generally modest, but even more because of the great variety and beauty of the scenery. If you are going to be there for around three weeks then I would encourage you to stick with your instincts and drive everywhere, and take the advice to rent a good car (for reference i know a couple who have just returned who drove 4,500km in about 15 days - that is a bit excessive, but they were still smiling!).


The reason to go to Leopard Creek is not the golf course - not much love from the cognoscenti, but I think a distinct experience - but because that is where the best game viewing is (Kruger National Park and many high end lodges - you mention Sabi Sabi). So if you want to go to that part of the country that makes sense from a game viewing perspective, and you would play Leopard Creek if you were nearby - but don't go for the golf.


By the way, if you do go to the East of the country to view game then don't replicate this in the Eastern Cape area (such as Addo etc) because it is a secondary destination for game viewing. But if you DO go East and then travel back down to Cape Town, you are probably entering the 3,500km + territory (600km JHB to game areas; 600km game areas to Durban; 1,800km Durban to Cape Town).


I think the golf advice from others here is pretty sound. Obviously there are some good courses in Joburg, but Joburg itself is not really a big tourist city. Within Cape Town Atlantic Beach is a links style course (has been used as Open qualifier) with stunning views of Table Mountain that is probably better than most of the other courses there. If you are coming down the Garden Route, you could play at Hermanus and Arabella - 30 min apart and both decent courses. For fun, consider a night at Arniston Hotel (good) which is close to Cape Agulhas - southernmost point of Africa) and play 9 holes at Bredasdorp (Trevor Immelmann on the wall!). Will cost you under $5 I guess!


Another thought - don't be afraid to travel inland, it includes some of the best scenery. For example, you could go around Lesotho through the Free State to get from Durban to Port Elizabeth and you would see wonderful mountain scenery. And from George I would recommend you go inland to Outdshoorn and see the Karoo (spend one night?) and then go on the R62 to Bonnievale/Swellendam/Hermanus. It is a better drive and scenically more memorable than much of the Garden route (and you anyway see much of the best between Plettenberg Bay and George). If you get to Hermanus or Arabell take the coastal road via Betty's Bay and Rooi Els and Gordon's Bay rather than N2.


I think you will find the countryside more memorable than the golf, and you will sure enjoy the whole experience at R14 to the $!


Philip


Tom_Doak

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #11 on: January 04, 2017, 10:29:30 PM »
Philip and Pete:  Thanks for your posts.  I have been doing a lot of research for all my exotic golf trips over the next couple of years, including South Africa, but your details about driving and distances are a huge help.


Chris:  For what it's worth, my co-authors for The Confidential Guide have all done tours of South Africa; I've only been to Durban and Johannesburg the one time, 25 years ago.  Durban and Humewood are their unanimous top two; Fancourt and Glendower are next after that.  Darius, like Philip, has Atlantic Beach as the best of the courses around Cape Town. 


When I do get back, most of what I want to see is between Durban and Cape Town:  St. Francis Links, East London GC and Wild Coast, all in the eastern end of the Garden Route.  I'm especially keen to see East London, since it is a Hotchkin design, and we're doing work at Woodhall Spa.  And a friend who's seen it all was very high on Wild Coast when he played it many years ago.

Philip Gawith

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #12 on: January 05, 2017, 02:00:21 AM »
I have played Wild Coast - a fun resort course with some dramatic holes/scenery, but not in the top rank from GCA perspective. That is the furthest south of the "established' courses on the coast (it is about 2.5 hours south of Durban) and then there is a big gap before you get to East London. This is where you have to make the decision of whether to travel inland or not.


I have next to me a book called "On Route in South Africa" (explore South Africa region by region), published by Sunbird which I think is worth buying for anyone considering a road travel trip.

Pete Lavallee

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #13 on: January 05, 2017, 10:06:58 AM »
I've added the course as we play them to make the list more complete. I've also added the possible Doak scale ranking to give some perspective.
"...one inoculated with the virus must swing a golf-club or perish."  Robert Hunter

Adam Lawrence

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #14 on: January 05, 2017, 12:04:09 PM »
Internal flights are the best solution to seeing South Africa. You'd be a crazy man to drive JNB to CPT, for example. Though I wouldn't mind doing it on the Blue Train.



Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Thomas Dai

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #15 on: January 05, 2017, 01:35:26 PM »
I asked an acquaintance who knows SA and he mentioned Maccauvlei GC, apparently about 1 hr south of J'burg - http://www.maccauvleigolfclub.co.za/about/course-profile-2/ - an old course from the 1920's with a Major Hotchkin of Woodhall Spa fame involvement (like Humewood).
Atb

MKrohn

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #16 on: January 05, 2017, 07:07:17 PM »
Chris, interested in your thread as I'm doing a trip over for a mates 50th. I've played in RSA once before but not for many years. Think we will miss Durban CC this time.


For what it's worth, we are going to fly into J'Bug and then fly straight out to PE, will head up to Sun City at the end of the trip.


I just don't fancy grinding out 1000kms in the car. I've played Humewood before and am keen to do it again and it seems a good starting point to drive to Cape Town. We will play at St Francis, stop at Plettenberg Bay and then base ourselves in George for a few days and play at Fancourt and maybe Pezula in Kynsna albeit I don't really know anything about the latter apart from @pete lavelles rankings. One of the boys from my club rates Arabella but he is the type to like shiny things.


Slightly concerned about golfing in Cape Town, I've played Erinvale (it's OK) and Royal Cape (not sure what I was expecting but it's underwhelming) so am looking for options. That said there's plenty of other things to do in Cape Town other than play golf, including just hanging out in Camps Bay.

C. Sturges

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #17 on: January 08, 2017, 08:15:11 PM »
Thank you all for the great responses.  I think we are close with the golf courses that most people recommend.


A question about the safaris, from your experiences, is it better to stay longer at one lodge/park or visit two?  The original plan was to stay 3-4 nights near Sabi Sands and then 2-3 nights between Durban and Cape Town.


Thanks for all the great information!
Chris

Sam Andrews

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #18 on: January 09, 2017, 05:46:36 AM »
Chris,
I would be really interested to hear if you get to play St Francis Links as my cousin has just bought a holiday house nearby and there is an open invitation (from his mum naturally!).


I would heartily recommend driving, South Africa is a fabulous place to travel through and you see extraordinary things (to a Brit) just rolling along. I would counsel caution too, there is a lot of poverty and, naturally the crime rate is high so you need to keep a sensible eye on your possessions etc (and, if there is any sort of national holiday when you are there, watch out for some lethally over-refreshed drivers).


The Kruger Park is fabulous, book a rondavel at a couple of different locations and enjoy stunning scenery and wildlife. The Karoo in the south is epic (best lamb ever is farmed there) and you could take the wild dirt road out to the frankly bonkers Owl House in Nieu Bethesda (google it). Then maybe ship on to Cradock where you can stay in a hotel that takes up a whole street of old cottages (http://www.tuishuise.co.za).


Sam
He's the hairy handed gent, who ran amok in Kent.

Pete Lavallee

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #19 on: January 09, 2017, 09:36:08 AM »
I've just added Westlake to the list. It's the most popular course with tourists or the swallows who winter here.
"...one inoculated with the virus must swing a golf-club or perish."  Robert Hunter

Philip Gawith

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #20 on: January 09, 2017, 02:06:19 PM »
Chris, I think four nights is enough for a good safari experience. After that it can become a bit repetitive. I would recommend you spend four nights in the Sabi Sands area and then devote your other days between Durban and Cape Town to sampling some of the rich (non-wildlife) tourism that the country has to offer.

Pete Lavallee

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Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #21 on: January 10, 2017, 11:23:48 PM »
I am in South Africa right now, on my third trip as my sister in law lives here. We have based our trips out of Cape Town and have twice driven the Garden Route along the Southern shore. It's a long drive from Capetown to Port Elizabeth. We were advised not to attempt the drive from Port Elizabeth to Durban as the only road goes inland. There are numerous reasonably priced inter city flights which can cut out the long drives. Even without the golf there is much to see and do and the current 14 to 1 exchange rate is very attractive. We had lunch at the Player designed Erinvale yesterday and had 2 bottles of wine, starter, mains, desert and after dinner drinks for 4 and even with a 20% tip paid less than $100! Sadly the wind is howling today and there are 3 fires raging very close by. If you go to the trouble get to Fancourt, Port Elizabeth and Humewood is not far away, you can fly to Durban from there. We will be trying Joburg for the first time in a few weeks. South Africans have a strange tradition of stopping for lunch between nines for 15 minutes, and not just a hot dog huge plate lunches; no wonder they are good at rugby!


Here's a rundown of the courses we've played:

Humewood 8:  Designed by H V Hotchkin this is my favorite in SA. Not on the water but only a few hundred yards away this course plays very much like a links. The fairways are Bermuda although there was a lot of Kikuyu on the lower spots of the rippling terrain. They were making an effort to irradiate it 6 years ago, not sure how that's coming along. The design accommodates the wind and presents a classic strategy of challenging obstacles to gain advantage. There are a few world class holes with very little letdown.

Durban CC 7:  On a par with Humewood this is jungle golf played over Kikuyu covered sand dunes just a motorways width away from the Indian Ocean. The jungle off the fairways is very penal but there is still decent width. Again there are several world class holes but a few mundane ones too. Interestingly Pasalum grass was discovered here as the course is often flooded by the Indian Ocean, giving it salt water resistance.

Fancourt 7:  Gary Players opus is really a good course with nice width and a reasonable facsimile of links golf. The bunkers are revetted with tubular sand bags which is quite unique. Several water features detract rather than add to the experience. We didn't play either of the 2 other courses here.

George GC 4:  A nice old school course in a pleasant environment with good topography, definetly worth a play if in the Fancourt area.


Plettenburg Bay 4:  This course dates to the 1950's I believe and is not glaringly modern. Some nice holes with decent movement in the land, a fun day out amoungst the many baboons that inhabit the course.

Pinnacle Point 5:  The Wolf Run of SA this is more of roller coaster ride than a golf course. The three cliff side holes on each nine are spectacular but the connecting holes are quite severe. Peter Matkovic just doesn't like wide fairways which is crazy in an area that gets 30+ mph winds on a regular basis. Definetly worth one play though.

Southbroom 4:  Close to Wild Coast in the beachside communities an hour south of Durban this was recommended by gca'ers as a place you could cut loose with a good round after playing championship courses.


Knysna 3:  Situated near the famous lagoon in this resort city it's actually better than it looks from the road. Nothing to write home about.

Pezula 4:  A crazy Ron Fream cart ball track in Knysna built on land far too steep for a good golf course. Has some memorable holes but is totally unwalkable.


The Cape Town area has several solid courses but nothing truly world class:



Royal Cape 5:  Flat as a pancake, the 4 foot high pimple on the long par 4 on the front nine is the biggest elevation change on the course! Still the C M Murray layout provides solid golf in a well manicured setting. Best Kikuyu fairways I've seen, probably because everyone walks with very few buggies, amazing such a tough grass can't stand cart traffic! This would be the old money course in Capetown.

Atlantic Beach 5:  After one play this course evokes a love, hate response. It's truly a housing course, every hole played through a corridor of very nice housing which is tastefully well removed from the boundaries. The course never quite gets to the beach, my guess would be 500 yards. But it does evoke a seaside environment. Built on sandy ground it was originally planted with Bermuda, but the Kikuyu takes hold in the low spots and spreads from there. This actually gives a nice contrast as the high spots of the mounds are a lovely tawny color. The greens are still bent and roll fantastically true. The 6th and 7th holes could easily hold a spot in an all SA eclectic. The front nine is really good, however I felt let down by the back nine where several holes reminded me of condo canyon golf in the US. 

Westlake 4:  Built in the 1930's this course fully accommodate the strong SW winds that blow quite frequently here. The fairways are plenty wide and lined with the ubiquitous stone pines and eucalyptus trees. The site has an overall tilt so there is nice movement to the land. Greens rolled quick and there are a nice variety of green shapes and sizes. The fairways are predominantly Kikuyu, but there is a mixture of Bermuda and cool season grasses as well. The most popular course they do 57,000 rounds a year. Centrally located near Constantia.

Mowbray 4: Interesting green shapes make this a fun course to play. They were transitioning to paspalum greens 3 years ago, hopefully they are up to speed now.

Rondebosch 4:  Very quick Poa Annua greens make the course, the river comes into play on several holes.

Clovelly 4:  A sporty resort style course that makes a nice day out.

Steenburg 4:  Another Matcovic layout that is a bit gimmicky in spots. The landscaping that separates the course from the housing estate is incredible, the golf course not so much. Great food and wine offerings here. The course was recently closed for a year due to an irrigation issue forcing them to rebuild all their greens.

Milnerton 4:  This course is right on the Ocean but was in a transition period of trying to be a links. The Kikuyu fairways were firm and dry enough to bounce balls onto greens but they were in the process of elimating penal parkland features; I hope they succeeded. Adding housing in the middle of the out and back layout compromised it somewhat.

Durbanville 3:  A decent local municipal course.

Somerset West 3:  Built in 1908 the course consists of 3 paddocks, separated by a train line and a road where cars are going 60 mph, plan your crossing carefully! They will be doing a complete redesign next year to eliminate the farthest paddock which could be unsafe for a group of 2 ladies.

Strand 3:  Next to Gordon's Bay on the eastern side of False Bay this is modern course built to sell condos, thankfully they are all to one side, completely separate from the golf course. I'll bet they can mow the greens in an hour as they are the smallest most undulated greens I've seen on a modern layout! Only 100 yards from the sea it's a bit tight to accommodate the stiff winds that are common in the area.
"...one inoculated with the virus must swing a golf-club or perish."  Robert Hunter

Pete Lavallee

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #22 on: January 10, 2017, 11:24:47 PM »
Atlantic Beach has now been added to the list.
"...one inoculated with the virus must swing a golf-club or perish."  Robert Hunter

Pete Lavallee

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #23 on: January 12, 2017, 01:56:19 AM »
Erinvale Golf Club has been added to the list.
"...one inoculated with the virus must swing a golf-club or perish."  Robert Hunter

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: South Africa, golf and sightseeing
« Reply #24 on: January 12, 2017, 07:05:43 AM »
The South Afican Open is being played this week at Glendower GC, J'burg.
It's on TV and Rory is playing.
Atb

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