MIND / COURSES M
18-HOLE COURSES OPENED SINCE 2000 CENTRAL GAUTENG (6): Eagle Canyon, Eye of Africa, Houghton, Jackal Creek, Soweto, Steyn City. EASTERN CAPE (6): Bushman Sands, Katberg, Olivewood, St Francis Links, The Belmont, Wedgewood GARDEN ROUTE (6): Kingswood, Oubaai, Pezula, Pinnacle Point, Simola, The Links at Fancourt LIMPOPO (5): Elements, Euphoria, Koro Creek, Legend, Zebula FREE STATE (4): Clarens, Heron Banks, Parys, Vaal de Grace GAUTENG NORTH (4): Blair Atholl, Blue Valley, Els Club Copperleaf, Pebble Rock KZN (4): Cotswold Downs, Gowrie Farm*, Simbithi, Vulintaba* WESTERN CAPE (4): Atlantic Beach, Hermanus (27 holes), Pearl Valley, Robertson
18-HOLE COURSES CLOSED SINCE 2000 GAUTENG (7): Crown Mines, Houghton*, Huddle Park (2), Leeuwkop, Ohenimuri, Randfontein EASTERN CAPE (6): Alexander, Bushman Sands, Fish River, Grahamstown, King William’s Town, Wedgewood*
SA’s newest 18-holer, The Belmont, opened in 2015 near Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape, and unusually has no housing.
WESTERN CAPE (3): Bramble Hill, King David, Hermanus*
NORTH WEST (3): Blyvooruitzicht, Leopard Park, Stilfontein
LIMPOPO (2): Hans Merensky, Legend
MPUMALANGA (1): Tweefontein *New course built on old site
Northern Cape is more than twice the size of the Eastern Cape, and has 27 courses with 1 545 members. Ulco GC near Kimberley, with 10 members, might have the smallest membership of any club in SA with a course. By contrast, in the greater Gauteng region, golfers have a choice of 65 18- hole courses within a 100-kilometre radius of Observatory GC, the closest course to the Johannesburg CBD. That is one-third of the total number of 18-holers. Changing the landscape Those 53 new courses since 2000 substantially altered the landscape of the Golf Digest Top 100 rankings. Nine of the new 18-holers have never made the Top 100 – that list includes Millvale, an exclusive private club in the North West with no wish to be ranked – but the majority of the others have pushed
with sand and oil greens in the Northern Cape near Upington. There is a possibility Legend and Hans Merensky will re-open, as happened with Huddle Park in Johannesburg, where the Blue Course was restored on property which once boasted 54 holes, plus Vaal River courses Emfuleni and Vaal de Grace (shut during Covid). Three of those 50 courses lost have been rebuilt as entirely new designs – Hermanus, Houghton and Wedgewood. We are seeing a trend of 18-holers being reduced to 9 for financial reasons: Durban’s Beachwood (earmarked for development), Sakabula in the KZN Midlands (development on back nine), Sand River and Ladybrand (Free State), Walmer CC and Zwartkop. Walmer in Port Elizabeth did close, yet 14 holes remain open for play in poor condition, with a container as a clubhouse.
behind KZN, which has 26 086. This figure is somewhat misleading though. The true number of golfers who reside in KZN is considerably fewer. Two remote KZN clubs, Port Shepstone (5560 members) and Cathedral Peak (4675), have cornered the “virtual membership” market by offering cheap deals snapped up by locals countrywide and foreigners. Between them they have 10 235 members, some 8% of the total SA affiliation numbers! In addition, two other minor KZN clubs, Drakensberg Gardens and Umfolozi, have 2 442 members. This is slightly less than the combined membership of Mount Edgecombe (948), Durban Country Club (660), Umhlali (560) and Simbithi (560). Outside the main metropolitan areas courses are few and far between. The Eastern Cape is more than twice the size of Scotland, yet has 46 courses compared to Scotland’s 550. The
out many older layouts. Several courses which began as 9-holers have graduated to 18, including this year Gowrie Farm in the KZN Midlands and Vulintaba in the Northern KZN Drakensberg. The new nines have yet to officially open. Others have been Goose Valley in the Garden Route, St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape, Millvale and Seasons in North West Province. Three new 18-holers, Clarens, Parys and Robertson (all estates), were built on the sites of original 9-holers without using the old holes. The SA Top 100 Courses census indicates 50 courses no longer with us from those counted in 2000. The split is 23 of 18 holes, and 27 of 9 holes. We lost eight Bob Grimsdell designs, four by Gary Player, and one by Peter Matkovich. Few will have played the delightfully named Eureka, an abandoned 18-holer
EKURHULENI (2): Ebotse Links, Serengeti
NORTH WEST: Millvale*
MPUMALANGA: Highland Gate *Originally opened as a 9-holer
A full list of South Africa’s 414 courses is available on the SA Top 100 Courses website. CLICK HERE
16 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
NOVEMBER 2023
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