THE LAKES A pair of bunkers frame the par-3 third green.
TOP 10 BUNKERS 1 Arabella 2 The Links at Fancourt 3 Blair Atholl 4 Durban CC 5 Leopard Creek 6 Sishen 7 Pretoria CC 8 Royal Jhb East 9 Pearl Valley 10 Fancourt Outeniqua
BUNKER UPGRADE “LIGHTS UP” THE LAKES
THE LAKES AT MOUNT Edgecombe was closed for four months last year to fa-
The closure of the course also meant that tee boxes could be enlarged and levelled, while the dam around the par-3 seventh has been desilted and deepened so there are no longer any sandbanks to be seen. All the sand removed from that project has been used to build new elevated tees on this magnificent hole. Back tees for yellow and white have been introduced at the stroke 1 ninth, which now entails a more challenging tee shot over the dam to reach the fairway. Michael Scholz of Bunker Armour and golf director Andrew van der Knaap collaborated in what has been an impressive redesign. The bunkers now have more character, and depth to them. This has been a welcome make-
cilitate a full bunker upgrade, and the changes have made a remarkable dif- ference to the look and playability of this attractive and challenging layout. It has moved up 10 places to No 62 in the rankings. White sand was added to all 44 bun- kers, and that has been a stunning gamechanger in terms of the overall Aesthetics. The bunkers have liter- ally "lit up" the course. New fairway bunkers have been introduced, while greenside bunkers have been shifted closer to the putting surfaces. Two bun- kers have in several cases been turned into one bigger bunker.
over for The Lakes. The only hole left unchanged is the par-4 16th, which has never had a single bunker. The big- gest transformation can be seen on the par-5 18th. What a finishing hole (480 yellow) this has become. Three fairway bunkers and three greenside bunkers have given it a sheen that wasn't there before. Other clubs which have benefitted from a recent bunker makeover by Bun- ker Armour include Fancourt, Benoni Country Club and Parys, while Glen- dower and Highland Gate are in the midst of renovating all their bunkers.
68 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MAY 2026
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