PRINCE'S GRANT An array of fairway bunkers on the par-4 10th.
BIGGEST JUMPS 11 places Selborne Park to No 87 10 places The Lakes at MECC to No 62 9 places Oubaai to No 71 Parys to No 76 7 places Woodhill to No 4 BIGGEST FALLS 12 places Umhlali to No 73 10 places Bloemfontein to No 96 9 places Bryanston to No 47 Wingate Park to No 53 8 places East London to No 17 Reading to No 72 7 places Emfuleni to No 98
tance to Scoring. Being one of the tough- est challenges, particularly for amateur golfers, it always scored top marks in this category. However, Resistance to Scoring was replaced by Playability & Challenge in 2021, which evaluates how courses com- bine two conflicting elements, difficulty for good golfers and yet playability for higher handicaps through wider playing corridors and bail-out areas. This is a modern design outlook.
months of the year. And as this esteemed course approaches its 50th birthday, it is very likely in need of an upgrade to keep it youthful. It is after all the third oldest course in the Top 10, behind DCC and Glendower, and younger rivals have been showing off their undoubted ar- chitectural advantages. The GPCC also benefitted for the 24 con- secutive years it was in the Top 10 from a Golf Digest ranking criteria called Resis-
TOP 10 IN 2016 1 The Links at Fancourt 2 Leopard Creek 3 Gary Player 4 Glendower 5 Durban CC 6 Fancourt Montagu 7 St Francis Links 8 Pearl Valley 9 Arabella 10 Royal Jhb East TOP 10 IN 2021 1 The Links at Fancourt 2 Pearl Valley 3 Leopard Creek 4 Glendower 5 St Francis Links 6 Royal Jhb East 7 Gary Player 8 Fancourt Montagu 9 Humewood 10 Arabella
EBOTSE LINKS Large artificial dunes are a feature of the Benoni layout.
60 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MAY 2026
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator