M MIND / RANKINGS
SA's Top 50 Halfway Houses Blair Atholl voted No 1 ahead of CCJ and Leopard Creek
By Stuart McLean
T he halfway house break is a traditional part of every round in South Africa. It’s fair to say that golf wouldn’t seem the same without this welcome respite for a refreshing drink and some form of sustenance. And the tastier the fare, the greater the anticipation beforehand. Most halfway houses follow an age- old formula in terms of their catering – pies, toasted sandwiches, bacon and eggs – yet some have become quite sophisticated, notably at exclusive high-end clubs, or residential estates, where members feel that superior dining is an essential part of the playing experience. The quality varies broadly from club to club, and the SA Top 100 Courses website has done the first ever ranking of the 50 Best Halfway Houses, based on ratings received from golfers on clubhouse facilities at courses they have played. The halfway house criteria is simple enough: How did you find the standard of catering and service? And is it an attractive and comfortable area in which to sit and relax? The halfway house is said to have evolved from a service provided in the 19th century on the Old Course at St Andrews. The par-4 fourth is known as the Ginger Beer Hole. The teeing ground was where David “Daw”
Blair Atholl’s halfway house has a unique river setting.
exclusiveness, are clubs such as Blair Atholl, Country Club Johannesburg, Leopard Creek, and The Links at Fancourt. Blair Atholl is No 1 and its halfway house offers a unique and stylish alfresco dining experience on the banks of the Crocodile River flowing through the Gauteng estate. A chef is on hand preparing hot food, and you can serve yourself whatever is available. The cost is part of the green fee. It’s a small structure, as being a one-tee course there is never more than two fourballs dining at any time. When the next group arrives it’s time to reluctantly leave. Country Club Johannesburg ranks No 2, and the quality and variety of the halfway offering confirms its lofty status. Catering for two courses and club members, it is essentially a buffet restaurant, serving a selection of
Anderson parked his basketwork cart and served home-made ginger beer and lemon juice. Golfers made use of it on their return journey to the clubhouse, at the adjoining 15th. “Daw” was at various times a greenskeeper, golf club maker, and caddie for Allan Robertson, one of the game’s first professionals. His son James Anderson won three consecutive Opens from 1877 to 1879. The Old Course today is one of the few links in Scotland with a halfway house facility, and a substantial building at that, behind the ninth green. It’s the only one at St Andrews. Golfers are not encouraged to linger though. Once served their cup of coffee and sandwich they hasten to the tenth tee, unless they want to relinquish their place in the field. Leading the way among the 50 Best Halfway Houses, perhaps not surprisingly considering their
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 19
NOVEMBER 2023
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