THE LINKS AT FANCOURT NO 1 The par-5 ninth hole is 557 metres from the championship tee and takes golfers to the halfway house (right of picture).
THE TOP 10
1 THE LINKS AT FANCOURT 83.5 POINTS George, Southern Cape, 6930 metres Gary Player Design Up one place from No 2 2 BLAIR ATHOLL 83.1 POINTS Lanseria, Gauteng North 7527 metres Gary Player Design Up two places from No 4 3 LEOPARD CREEK 82.9 POINTS Malelane, Mpumalanga 6501 metres Gary Player Design Down 2 places from No 1 4 PEARL VALLEY 82.3 POINTS Near Franschhoek, Western Cape 6577 metres Jack Nicklaus Signature Up 2 places from No 6 5 ST FRANCIS LINKS 81.6 POINTS St Francis Bay, Eastern Cape 6553 metres Jack Nicklaus Signature Down 2 places from No 3 6 GLENDOWER 81.0 POINTS Johannesburg, Central Gauteng 6962 metres Charles Alison / Golf Data Up 2 places from No 8 7 ARABELLA 80.6 POINTS Near Kleinmond, Western Cape 6222 metres Peter Matkovich Down two places from No 5 8 DURBAN COUNTRY CLUB 80.3 POINTS Durban, KwaZulu-Natal 6148 metres Laurie Waters, George Waterman / Golf Data New entry 9 EAST LONDON 80.0 POINTS East London, Eastern Cape 6070 metres George Peck, Col SV Hotchkin Up 1 place from No 10 10 PINNACLE POINT 79.8 POINTS Mossel Bay, Southern Cape 6460 metres Peter Matkovich Up 1 place from No 11
a course. Leopard Creekâs par-5 18th for instance leaves a lasting impression, and the brilliance of its dramatic design has surely had as much to do with Leopard Creek becoming a No 1 course as its set- ting opposite the Kruger National Park. In contrast, a supposed weakness of The Links is considered by some critics to be its own par-5 18th. It may not have anything like the same excitement fac- tor, where those in the clubhouse are glued to what may transpire around the green, yet this is nevertheless a hole where the uphill tee shot cresting a high dune to reach the fairway does catch the
attention of all who play there. It is very individual despite its flaws. Additionally, The Links has improved its Playability mark to its highest yet of 14.8 out of 20, narrowing what used to be a significant deficit on its rivals. Anyone initially playing The Links will customarily be intimidated and flum- moxed by its varied challenges and pit- falls, plus its quirky features, and this has caused The Links to fare less well in this category, as much as a full mark and more behind courses such as Blair Atholl, Glendower, and Durban Coun- try Club, which lead in this category.
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 59
MAY 2025
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