MACCAUVLEI Aerial view of par-4 17th shows size of bunker defending the green.
100 YEARS OLD
enormous bunker fronting the green of the par-4 17th, making this one of the most unique and formidable holes in South Africa. Peter Matkovich redesigned the lay- out for the 75th anniversary, introduc- ing modern greens and new bunkers. The Vaal River is some distance from the clubhouse, and you must wait until the 13th before catching a glimpse of it. The par-5 15th and par-3 16th are built on the banks. On the opposite side of the river is the old Vereeniging Country Club (now Riviera) which was designed by another eminent English architect, Charles Alison, in the 1930s. Four SA Opens were played at Mac- cauvlei, and the legendary Sid Brews won three of them, in 1927, 1933 and 1949. Bobby Locke claimed the other in 1938. The course has been a fixture in the Top 50 of the Golf Digest rankings since the beginning, and this year has improved to 39. Its best position was 29th at the turn of the century.
Maccauvlei celebrated its Centenary in April, and in the early years of
the club secured its hosting of the 1927 SA Open. George Peck had been the original designer of the course used for that championship, but soon af- terwards Colonel SV Hotchkin made significant changes to the layout during his illuminating visit to South Africa in the summer of 1927-28 which intro- duced a new perspective locally to the art of golf course design. Hotchkin described Maccauvlei as being an inland links due to its sandy soil, and while today it is a tree-lined layout of a parkland nature, the im- pressive bunkering on the course does lend it a visible links characteristic on several holes. There are some vast fairway bunkers on display, notably on the left side of the sixth, ninth, 10th and 18th holes, while the piece de resistance is the
its history it was regarded as one of the premier courses in South Africa. It was a “posh” country club on the Vaal River for Johannesburg businessmen and celebrities in the era between the two world wars. They trav- elled to Vereeniging by train and spent weekends in the club’s dormy house. The original clubhouse still exists today, and several rooms have been restored to their former glory. The 19th Hole has been preserved and remains an excellent example of the clubhouse bars of that earlier age. The front of the club changed in recent years when the outside patio was roofed over. Within a year of the course open- ing, the influence of members within
64 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MAY 2026
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