The clubhouse at Stellenbosch Golf Club.
STELLENBOSCH 19TH IS NO 1 Stellenbosch Golf Club was rated as having the Best 19th, a popular after- golf venue for tourists who love the set- ting on an upper floor of an attractive and modernised clubhouse, overlook- ing the 18th with views of the Jonker- shoek mountains. Pinnacle Point, a 21st-century devel- opment, was runner-up with its circular clubhouse on high cliffs above the In- dian Ocean, while Champagne Sports
changed in the new millennium in fa- vour of those which offer more than an old-fashioned bar counter with ad- equate service, cold beers and packets of crisps and peanuts. Many clubs have a pizza oven, and outdoor seating areas are a pre-requisite. Stellenbosch, on the back of its popu- larity with foreign tourists visiting the Winelands, has transformed itself into a modern Western Cape club geared towards 5-star hospitality. There have been stylish architectural renovations to draw in visitors. Members and guests are blissfully unaware of loadshedding as they enjoy the 19th and other facilities. In 2023, the club installed a Battery Emergency Supply System powered by 108 solar panels. After six months the project- ed annual saving on electricity costs amounted to R850 000, a 31 percent saving. The club introduced a waste recycling operation in 2022, and in 2023 had a reduction of 27 tons of solid waste to landfill sites, an annual saving of R106 016. Stellenbosch has a covered verandah in the front of the clubhouse, while Pinnacle Point and Champagne Sports have “decks.” The clubhouse pub at Champagne is tiny, and only fills up during the cooler winter months. Oth- erwise everyone is outside lounging in comfortable chairs on the expansive deck high above the course, admiring majestic mountain peaks.
Resort in the Drakensberg placed third. While having scenic views from their 19th Hole was a common denomina- tor among the top 3 clubs, they were followed by two Johannesburg clubs, Parkview and Bryanston, where the course views are limited. However, they both have traditional old spacious pubs boasting smart décor, excellent service, and an atmosphere which gathers in golfers before and after golf. The dynamics of the 19th Hole have
Outside deck of clubhouse at Pinnacle Point.
84 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MAY 2024
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online