SOUTH AFRICA

Ball & beast, sea & sun

- Where to play (continue)?

** Near the wildlife at:

- Hans Merensky Country Club

Watching wildlife while playing a round of golf is a rare privilege one can find at Hans Merensky Country Club near the city and airport of Phalaborwa.

The famous Kruger National Park, one of Africa's largest game reserves, stretches along the entire length of the eastern boundary of the Country Club. So that wild game (giraffes, antelopes...) and bird life are often seen on the 18-hole championship golf course as well as hippos and crocodiles in the numerous water hazards. A good advice to avoid any accident: don't bother them, they won't bother you. Anyway the course is such a challenging one with his 6 127 meters length and his pools that you need all your concentration for playing. Greens are fast.

** along the Indian Ocean at:

- Zimbali Golf Course

If you decide to stay in an Out of Africa ambiance, go to the north of Durban in the Kwazulu-Natal Province at the Zimbali Lodge, located on a the slope of a hill along the Indian Ocean steeped coast. There you will have the opportunity to play a golf course designed by Tom Weiskopf (also architect of the well-known Loch Lomond in Scotland). The 18 holes of the Zimbali Golf Course are surrounding the hotel, departing from the top of the hill, sloping down to the sea shore and coming back to the top.

The tees of the 1st and the 10th located on the top are the signatures of the course, specially the 10th where the tee is surrounded by a flowerbed. Just enough to disturb your concentration and to make your teeshot short in the water hole before the green. But don't forget to take a picture. For the souvenir book.

- Prince’s Grant

A few kilometers north from Zimbali at Stanger, Prince's Grant is established in the heart of the sugar cane country. The estate is situated on the original Hyde Park farm acquired by Prince George by deed of Grant from Queen Victoria: hills, valleys, forest, lake and Indian Ocean seashore. A sort of paradise. Peter Matkowich who designed the golf course used the natural contours to maximize the scenic beauty. Certain holes are memorable: the 2 nd, the 6th but above all the 15t with his scenic view from the tee on the Indian Ocean; don't forget your camera. The clubhouse occupies the ground floor of a gracious old colonial style lodge where there are, at the floor, seven luxurious suites offering breathtaking golf course and ocean vistas. Each suite is unique with antique furniture but modern comfort.

** near Port Elizabeth at

- Humewood

Situated on the large sandy coast between Port Elizabeth’s airport and bay, Humewood Golf Club has a very Scottish touch. It’s a links - the course has been designed by an English architect, Colonel Hotchkin - and the double-storey clubhouse has an old colonial style. The wide fairways of the course roll over and between the numerous mounds and hollows were bunkers, mainly around greens, are not always easy to see. Wind plays here an important role, sufficiently to make you miss the green and sometimes the fairway".

** near George and Garden's route at

- Fancourt

Ernie Els, world's top professional golfer, spends in Fancourt as much time as he can: it's his home away from home, says Larry Gould, the well known South African golf journalist who has also been for a time General Manager at Fancourt. As he says: "Fancourt sets the standards".

In his Guide to Golf in the Cape, he writes:"nestled in a spectacular location under the Outeniqua mountains, Fancourt has deservedly established itself as not only South Africa's premier Golf, Hotel, and Real Estate resort but also a world class venue".

They are four different tee boxes on each hole, the fairways are daily mewed, the kikuyu rough (when out off tournaments) is not to penalizing and greens are large, but fast and sloppy. Each golfer, depending mostly of how he did play at, has his favorite holes, but agrees on the fact that what makes Fancourt unforgettable is the spectacular environment: the Outeniqua mountains, the large flower beds of different colors on the banks and the ponds reflecting sky, trees and mountains.

And for the year 2000, Fancourt, where you can already learn or improve golf at the Golf School with his covered driving ranges and (soon nine) practice holes will open a third 18-hole course, which Gary Player says will be an "Inland links".

Fancourt will become the Golf Mecca of South Africa.

** around Cape Town at:

- Royal Cape

Honor is to the Royal Cape, the oldest course in South Africa. When coming in, you feel the weight of tradition, even if recent improvements have been introduced. Tall and slim senior golfers with leather golf bags and wearing long white socks are training on the putting green under the historical club’s flag.With their Major Thompson’s walrus moustaches, they seem to have just jumped out from an old engraving. It’s normal: here was held the first South African Championship in 1910. Gary Player (1965) and Ernie Els (1996) won here.

Even if you can see the Table Mountain from there, the course is located on a flat land at Rondebosch (Wynberg) in the suburb of Cape Town at about half an hour drive from the City Center. If you drive on your own, ask for a detailed map to avoid to get lost in the British complicated road design of Wynberg streets, circles and other croissants with the same name.

- Steenberg

On the way to the southern suburbs of Cape Town, at Muizenberg, under the Constantiaberg Mountains, lies, down the hills, in an old wine farm, the Steenberg golf club. The brochure says that the course is widely renowned for having the best greens in Cape Town. It’s true. But that’s not the only one good point of the young Steenberg golf course: the fairways are well manicured and the design of the course makes it enjoyable by all, from championship to junior.

Peter Matkovitch designed the fairways shaped in gentle slopes reflecting the natural flow and fall of the ground through pine forests and vineyards along a stony water hazard. This soft spike course is available to hotel guests, members and their guests only. So try to stay at the *****hotel, even only for one night; you won’t regret it neither for the hotel and restaurant nor for the golf course. And don‘t forget on the 12th hole to have a look to Elephant’s Eye Mountain.

- Stellenbosh

Stellenbosh is the capital city of South African vineyards and wineries. When we played Stellenbosch Golf, it was just after the 1999 South African Open in January. Is that the reason why the grass was so dry and yellow and the greens in a so bad shape with large brown mossy patches? Possible, but it’s not a sufficient reason for the disgruntled reception given to the visitors! It’s pity because of the wonderful environment of the Simonsberg Mountain surrounding the capital city of South African wineries. Better go and visit the cellars of some of the most well known wines in the world. See our Tourism chapter.

- Erinvale

Ernie Els and Wayne Westner won the World Cup of Golf of 1996 on their home soil at Erinvale a few kilometers away from Stellenbosch. Thousands of golfers watching TV all around the world discovered the wonders of Erinvale golf course and his scenic splendor. As a matter of fact, Erinvale is regarded as the finest course in the Western Cape and it deserves its reputation.The main particularity of Erinvale is that they are two courses in one: the first nine holes are on a low flat ground facing the paramount Drakenstein mountains circle.

The back nine are going up and down on forested hill to a culminating point with a scenic view over Somerset West to the white sandy beaches of the False Bay and, at the far end of horizon, to the Cape of Good Hope. By fair weather, which is mainly the case, it is a memorable place to be once in a lifetime.