LOST CITY Architecture of clubhouse was inspired by Zimbabwe Ruins. It looks over the ninth (right) and 18th greens.
TOP 20 SCENIC Western Cape Arabella Pearl Valley Pezula Pinnacle Point Simola The Links at Fancourt KwaZulu-Natal Bosch Hoek Durban CC Umdoni Park Champagne Sports Prince’s Grant Zimbali
Gauteng Blair Atholl Goldfields West Steyn City
SWITCHING PARS AT ARABELLA
Arabella, which climbs to No 6 in the latest rankings, late last year made a bold decision, with the permission of designer Peter Matkovich, to switch the pars on two of its opening holes to improve the respective playability of each of them. The second hole had always been a shortish par 5 – measuring 457 metres from the back tee, and it was followed by a long par 4 (stroke 1) which played 440 metres from the tips. Both holes have water hazards guarding the left side of their greens. Most golfers, and this Western Cape resort has a healthy proportion of visitors, usually played both these holes as three-shotters. And they generally found it easier to make 4 at the second than the third, which always appeared to play just as long as the par 5. It was more exposed on windy days. Today, the second plays 397 metres from the white club tees, and the third is 435 from white. It seems to have been a popular switch.
Northern & Eastern Cape East London Sishen
Mpumalanga, North West & Limpopo Gary Player Leopard Creek Elements
Arabella have made intel- ligent design changes over the years to prevent golf balls being hit into estate homes. The short par-4 16th was the first hole to be reworked with new tees, bunkers, and trees to force golfers to play out to the right of the fairway. Last year another shortish 4, No 12, had its own alterations. A large fairway bunker down the left side of the hole was removed and replaced with indigenous plants, fynbos and trees, and the fairway widened to the right, where golfers are now encouraged to aim.
VICTORIA CC The par-4 tenth.
66 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MAY 2026
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator