SHAKE-UP AMONG THE FIRST FIVE
The Links at Fancourt regains No 1 status
WHEN IT COMES TO DISTINGUISH- ING between the best courses in South Africa, the character and distinctive- ness of their golf holes plays a key role. We examine this in the Memorability criteria, and it’s here where there has been a powerful shift in dynamics be- tween the top five courses in the 2025 rankings. The Links at Fancourt has replaced Leopard Creek as the No 1 course after an absence of two years from the pinnacle, and Blair Atholl has overtaken both Leopard Creek and St Francis Links to seize the No 2 berth. It’s all change among each of the top
surrounding environment but offer a creative X factor. The Links is not just a modern recreation of holes you may find in the linksland of the United Kingdom but does so in tandem with beautiful natural aesthetics and an old-fashioned routing where only one green is close to the clubhouse. If we’re judging courses on the indi- viduality and strength of each hole, a collective continuity from hole 1 to 18, then what weight does the 18th have in determining a course’s ranking? A strong, character-building finishing hole is often seen as defining the greatness of
five courses compared to 2024. Memorability focuses on the unique individuality of each hole compared to others on the course, and The Links has become the leader in this category in South Africa, scoring 12.8 out of 15 points, an area where it previously trailed Leopard Creek. The Links is a special design, trad- ing on the ingenuity of its man-made linksy characteristics – it is No 1 in the Design Variety criteria with 13.3 points out of 15. From your opening tee shot you play a sequence of holes which not only blend satisfactorily into the
58 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MAY 2025
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