PINNACLE POINT NO 10 Looking back from the par-4 14th hole across the clifftops to the clubhouse.
CONDITIONING 20 POINTS
How would you rate the quality of tees, fairways, bunkers and greens, plus general presentation? A great course is maintained in great playing shape, giv- en the weather conditions it must deal with. How well does the course challenge low-handicaps while providing enjoyable options for high-handicaps through the use of shorter lengths, alternative routes, varied placement of hazards, PLAYABILITY 20 POINTS and accessible portions of greens? A great course never frustrates any golfer. How well do the scenic val- ues of the course (including landscaping, vegetation, water features and back- drops) add to the pleasure of a round? The focus should be on scenic values within the course, not outside the course. AESTHETICS 15 POINTS DESIGN VARIETY 15 POINTS How varied are the golf course’s holes in differing lengths (long, medium and short par 3s, 4s and 5s), configurations (straight holes, doglegs left and right), hazard placements, green shapes and green contours? The more variety a design provides, the more it tests the complete game of a player.
HOW COURSES ARE RANKED
Best in Aesthetics 1 Leopard Creek 13.8 2 Links at Fancourt 13.6 3 Blair Atholl 13.6 4 East London 13.5 5 Simola 13.3 6 Pinnacle Point 13.2 7 Champagne 13.2 8 Elements 13.1 9 Zimbali 13.1 10 Prince’s Grant 13.1 Best in Design Variety 1 Links at Fancourt 13.3 2 St Francis Links 13.2 3 Glendower 13.0 4 Pearl Valley 12.6 5 Leopard Creek 12.4 6 East London 12.4 7 Blair Atholl 12.3 8 Humewood 12.1 9 George & Sishen 12.0 10 Pezula & DCC 12.0 Best in Memorability 1 Links at Fancourt 12.8 2 St Francis Links 12.7 3 Durban CC 12.7 4 Blair Atholl 12.6 5 Pearl Valley 12.5 6 Humewood 12.5 7 Glendower 12.4 8 East London 12.3 9 Leopard Creek 12.2 10 Sishen 12.2
Best in Shot Values 1 Glendower 12.6 2 Pearl Valley 12.5 3 Leopard Creek 12.5 4 Pinnacle Point 12.5 5 St Francis Links 12.4 6 Links at Fancourt 12.2 7 Durban CC 12.1 8 Montagu 12.0 9 Arabella 12.0 10 Gary Player 11.8 Best in Playability 1 Blair Atholl 16.2 2 Glendower 16.0 3 Durban CC 16.0 4 Pearl Valley 15.9 5 Steyn City 15.9 6 Arabella 15.8 7 Gary Player 15.8 8 Champagne 15.8 9 Woodmead 15.8 10 ELGC & PCC 15.8 Best in Conditioning 1 Links at Fancourt 16.8 2 Blair Atholl 16.6 3 Leopard Creek 16.4 4 Arabella 16.0 5 Glendower 15.9 6 Outeniqua 15.9 7 Pearl Valley 15.8 8 Erinvale 15.8 9 Montagu 15.8 10 PCC & Zimbali 15.8
continuity to the entire 18? Is a consistent level of quality a course’s strength, or is it let down by several poor holes? If a common thread unites 18 individual holes into a seam- less course then it deserves a high score. How well do the holes pro- vide a variety of risks and rewards, and test accuracy, length and finesse without overemphasising any one skill over the other two? A great course poses different strategies from hole to hole and requires a good player to have all the shots. A course that mixes up risks (water, bunkers, depth percep- SHOT VALUES 15 POINTS tion, out-of-bounds) offers greater variety and deserves a high score. If a course has no short 3s, 4s or 5s then it overemphasises length. Too many undulating greens overemphasises the short game. Courses weak in Shot Values are those which are wide open and rarely test length, and those which de- mand pinpoint accuracy.
MEMORABILITY & CONSISTENCY 15 POINTS
How well do the design fea- tures provide individuality to each hole yet a collective
70 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MAY 2025
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