a home to be proud of, and this is what Kingswood has lacked until now. The clubhouse enhances the estate and will also serve as a community centre for residents. Sustainability and innova- tion are at its core, with energy-efficient systems, high-speed connectivity, and cutting-edge security. Central to the new facility is La Famiglia restaurant. September 1 also saw the beginning of a new Kingswood Golf Club, oper- ated by Kingswood HOA Properties, under the ownership of the estate’s Home Owners’ Association. Previously it had been run privately by the wife- and-husband team of Liesel and Mike Quinn. Liesel was general manager. Their agreement has ended, and Dean Le Vieux, formerly at Country Club Johannesburg, has been employed as Golf Director to oversee the running of the golf club. All existing golf members of King- swood have been told they need to sign up with the new club. Memberships and rounds are not being carried over. Uniquely, Kingswood will become one of a handful of clubs in South Africa to have a par-3 opening hole – and the only one inside the Top 100 rankings. It’s a rare occurrence throughout the world. The only others at a full-length 18-hole course in South Africa are at Akasia Golf Club in Pretoria North, and Cato Ridge GC in KwaZulu-Natal. There is a par-3 opener at Simbithi Country Club on the KZN North Coast – which has an “Executive” course with 13 par- 3s – and at two 9-holers, Kleinmond in the Overberg near Arabella, and Lutz- ville on the West Coast. Kingswood’s first is an attractive downhill 3 of 192 metres from the back yellow tees (166 white), with a deep bunker guarding the right front of the green. Revetted and steep-faced green- side and fairway bunkers, of a kind usu- ally seen at seaside links, are a feature of this challenging layout. Kingswood usually operates a daily one-tee start, but on occasions when a two-tee start is required, play will begin at both No 1 and No 9, a downhill par 4 with its tees close to the clubhouse. Kingswood has two loops of eight and 10 holes. The new 12th hole, an uphill par 4, adjoins the par-3 13th hole at George Golf Club. The golf club have acquired a new fleet of GPS-enabled E-Z-GO golf carts, equipped with real-time navigation and scoring systems.
MOUNTAIN VIEW The new Kingswood clubhouse overlooking the par-5 18th, with the range facility teeing area to the left of the clubhouse. In the middle of the image is the downhill par-4 ninth hole.
been the par-5 18th. The new club- house, a modern architectural design, faces towards the Outeniqua mountain range, and overlooks the 18th green and a large water hazard to the right of the green. All golf courses need an established clubhouse, with comfortable facilities and amenities, to provide that addition- al sense of identity, and give members
and is No 92 in the Golf Digest Top 100 rankings, has been open for play since 2007. However, for the past 18 years it has had a temporary clubhouse at the main entrance to the estate which pre- vented Kingswood from being played to the routing its original designer, Danie Obermeyer, had intended. For 18 years golfers started their rounds on what was meant to have
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