THE CLARENS The par-4 16th hole at The Clarens Golf & Leisure Estate.
LOOKING IN ON TOP 100
Five 18-hole courses which have never previously been in the Top 100 are among those
on the outside looking in. Under con- sideration for inclusion have been The Clarens in the Free State eastern high- lands, The Belmont in the Eastern Cape, Heron Banks on the Vaal River, plus Robertson and Somerset West in the Western Cape. The first four are all newish courses, while Somerset West had Peter Matkovich design a new links-style nine holes after selling part of their property for a development.
Golf Digest no longer publish rank- ings outside the Top 100. Each year, however, we evaluate possible new entries from a varied group of about 20 courses. The rankings are constantly
changing. Over the last 10 years, 20 courses have departed the rankings and been replaced by others. Some were in and out, never gaining any permanence, while stalwarts such as Beachwood, Benoni CC, ERPM, Orkney, Randpark Bushwillow, Rondebosch, Royal Dur- ban, Rustenburg, State Mines and Vaal De Grace have fallen out of favour. Beachwood, now a scruffy 9 holes, was a sad loss. Vaal De Grace was No 63 when it closed during Covid, and never regained its place in the Top 100 after reopening. However, the Nick Price design on the Vaal River at Parys is improving and remains an attractive and affordable course to play. The Clarens is a delightful Golf Data/ Sean Quinn design (2008) in the same mould as Katberg in the Eastern Cape, fun to play and blessed with beautiful scenery, particularly in autumn. The Belmont is a quirky and short Tyrone Yates design in a rural valley outside Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) opened in 2015. Its remoteness – 135 kilometres from Gqeberha (Port Eliza- bath) – has been a hindrance in attract- ing golfers, and on-site accommodation might have helped. Heron Banks (2014) is part of a residential estate popular as a venue for the Sunshine Tour, a chal- lenging layout. Robertson is an attrac- tive Danie Obermeyer design (2008) in the Winelands.
THE BELMONT This newish Eastern Cape club is a 45-minute drive from Port Alfred.
25 COURSES WITH TOP 100 POTENTIAL GAUTENG (4) Benoni CC, Blue Valley, Randpark Bushwillow, State Mines KWAZULU-NATAL (4) Bosch Hoek, Kloof, Port Shepstone, Royal Durban NORTH WEST (3) Magalies Park, Orkney, Rustenburg LIMPOPO (3) Ba-Phalaborwa (Hans Merensky), Koro Creek, Polokwane FREE STATE (4) Clarens, Heron Banks, Schoeman Park, Vaal De Grace CAPE PROVINCE (7) Belmont, Devonvale, Durbanville, Langebaan, Robertson, Somerset West, Worcester
76 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MAY 2025
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