sand in the bunkers, rather than expen- sive silica sand. Local Soweto contrac- tors were employed to bring in topsoil and build a pump house.” VUSI NGUBENI HOST Soweto CC, through its Sunshine Tour link, has been regularly used as a tour- nament venue, the most visible of those being the Joburg Ladies Open in 2019 and 2021. Today it is home to the an- nual Vusi Ngubeni Qualifying School event – for “historically disadvantaged South African-born golfers” – and the Big Easy Tour. From the back tees at 6 884 metres, it is a proper champion- ship layout (74.9 rating), and the tour pros have come to respect it. The Vusi 72-holer in April was won on 10-under 278 by Newcastle pro Sienda Sithebe. In a third round 67 he had six consecutive birdies to begin the back nine, which he played in 31. The layout is slightly undulating on the longer back nine and unusual in having just three par 5s and three par 3s. The routing of the holes in 2016 was done by American Jeff Lawrence, who at the time was a senior designer for Gary Player Design. Playing the course from the white club tees (6 230 metres), the second hole is one of the shortest 3s in South Africa at 107 metres to a slip- pery green. It’s just 85 from the blue and red tees. The shortness of the hole is offset by the other 3s being 188 and 174 from the white tees. The new course is on a smaller par- cel of land compared to the old layout – several hectares were snatched for residential development – and Jacobs recalls that the old course had one of SA’s longest par 5s, over 600 metres. As
Maintenance staff on the 18th green.
a result of this loss of land, there was no space to build a range facility, which is a shortcoming, as it would have helped in the development of new golfers and the growth of the club membership. There is a short-game practice area, and noth- ing else. All the holes run close to each other in a zig-zag pattern defined by tree lines. There are several doglegs, with the straight holes being those alongside the boundary fences. Out-of-bounds is clearly a factor at Nos 8 and 9. A solitary water hazard is in play on the downhill par-5 tenth (497- 466), and it’s a scary one for any golfer fighting a slice in that it’s sizeable and adjoins the right side of the green. Its banks are closely mown so stray balls easily run into it. The same hazard comes into play on the 12th, an uphill 5 which doglegs sharply left towards the green. From the white tees the back nine (par 37) is nearly 300 metres longer than the front, and it has an interesting variety of holes – there’s a 301-metre short 4 at No 13 – as it builds to a strong climax at the 401-metre 18th, one of the best holes on the course, a slight dogleg right with a large fairway bunker left, leaving a long approach to a raised, nar- row green. Geddes, who stepped in as GM last year but is now leaving to manage St Francis Bay, has improved the club- house offering for members and visi- tors. It now has solar power, a small pro shop, a kitchen being upgraded, and a liquor licence has been applied for. “The future of the club is reliant on generous sponsorships we receive from several companies, and the support of visiting golfers,” he said. “The members
TOP 30 COURSES IN GREENS* Course 2 Links at Fancourt 3 Erinvale 4 Glendower 5 Elements 6 Durban CC 7 Soweto CC 8 Wedgewood 9 Pearl Valley 10 Royal Jhb East 11 Waterkloof 12 St Francis Links 13 Fancourt Outeniqua 14 Humewood 15 Pinnacle Point 16 Fancourt Montagu 1 Blair Atholl
Score out of 10
8.78 8.72 8.56 8.38 8.34 8.34 8.28 8.26 8.24 8.24 8.12 8.10 8.10 8.08 8.08 8.06 8.04 8.0 8.0 8.0
17 Sishen 18 Killarney 19 Pretoria CC
20 Champagne Sports 21 CCJ Rocklands 22 Ebotse Links
8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0
23 Royal Cape 24 Parkview 25 Glenvista 26 Jackal Creek
27 The Woods at MECC 28 Leopard Creek
7.96 7.94 7.90
29 Victoria 30 Zimbali
7.90 *Data from SA Top 100 Courses website
alone cannot sustain Soweto CC.” “One day I started talking to a young local boy outside the gate holding three clubs,” said Mentz. “He keenly wanted to play, so I gave him some balls and paid his green fee. Enabling kids like him to play golf here is what maintain- ing Soweto Country Club is about.”
Soweto CC greenkeeper Lucky Mvelashe (STM) and general manager Gary Geddes.
78 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
JULY/AUGUST 2025
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