5 CULLINAN Near Pretoria, Gauteng North SCORE 46/60 Clubhouse 7.5 • Aesthetics 7.5 Conditioning 7.5 • Design Variety 8 Innovation 7.5 • Challenge 8 Cullinan has long been recognised as an outstanding 9-holer, an old Gauteng club famous for its proximity to the Premier Mine where the Cullinan diamond, the world’s largest gem-quality rough diamond (weighing 621 grams), was discovered in 1905. The interestingly designed and challenging course is in a tranquil parkland setting. The par-5 fourth hole has a unique set of tees built high on a hillside offering a magnificent view. Up there the hole is a dogleg right with one of the most thrilling of tee shots. 6 BOSCHENMEER Paarl, Cape Winelands SCORE 45/60 Clubhouse 8 • Aesthetics 6.5 Conditioning 7.5 • Design Variety 8 Innovation 6.5 • Challenge 8.5 Boschenmeer is the third nine at the 27-hole Paarl GC facility, which is part of a residential estate. It qualifies as a separate 9-holer in that its design, by Danie Obermeyer and David Frost in 2000, is distinctly different from the Paarl Old Course. There are numerous water hazards, and a hill in the middle from where you can see Table Mountain. The closing three holes are outstanding, No 7 a beautiful long par 4 through an avenue of pines, No 8 a risk-reward short 4, and No 9 a par 5 curving left around one of the lakes. It is also set up to play as a Par 3 layout. 7 CATHEDRAL PEAK KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg SCORE 44/60 Clubhouse 5.5 • Aesthetics 10 Conditioning 5 • Design Variety 8 Innovation 7 • Challenge 8.5 In the heart of the Drakensberg, this isolated mountain course belonging to
Boschenmeer.
9 KILBARCHAN Near Newcastle, Northern KwaZulu-Natal SCORE 42/60 Clubhouse 6.5 • Aesthetics 7.5 Conditioning 6.5 • Design Variety 8 Innovation 6.5 • Challenge 7 Relatively unknown layout 13 kilometres south of Newcastle just off the N11, close to an old colliery. A former mine manager commissioned a design by Bob Grimsdell and Brian Wilkes. It opened in 1979 and is reasonably long at 6 375 metres. Hilly with a mix of challenging and interesting holes, including an excellent closing par 5 with a large dam in play on the second shot right of the fairway. The seventh is an outstanding short 4 from an elevated tee to a green guarded by a stream. 10 MALELANE Malelane, Mpumalanga Lowveld SCORE 41.5/60 Clubhouse 6 • Aesthetics 8 Conditioning 6 • Design Variety 8 Innovation 6 • Challenge 7.5 Malelane is a bushveld beauty, its fairways lined with magnificent mature trees of varied species. The road to the Malelane Gate and Leopard Creek bisects the course. On the left are three holes and the clubhouse; the other six holes, each outstanding, with a couple of doglegs, are hidden away on the right. A stream runs through the middle of the course. There’s a camp site at the clubhouse. 11 VOLKSRUST Volksrust, Mpumalanga Highveld SCORE 41.2/60 Clubhouse 5.5 • Aesthetics 7.2 Conditioning 6 • Design Variety 8 Innovation 7 • Challenge 7.5 One of the longer 9-holers at 6 399 metres, Volkrust features well-designed holes on gently undulating and tree-lined terrain. It was the home course of Sunshine Tour star Nico van Rensburg. The club and
Cathedral Peak Hotel is one of the most scenic inland venues. With magnificent views and bracing mountain air it is a well-designed layout (1996) by the late Reg Taylor and his brother Roly which criss- crosses hillside ridges in a valley below the hotel. Different elevation levels make for fun tee shots. For a 9-holer the design variety and risk-reward quotient is diverse. Sadly, one of the least played courses in SA. 8 KRUGER PARK LODGE Hazyview, Mpumalanga Lowveld SCORE 43/60 Clubhouse 5 • Aesthetics 7 Conditioning 7 • Design Variety 8.5 Innovation 7.5 • Challenge 8 This Gary Player Design from the early 1990s has several memorable and challenging holes on undulating terrain. Big greens, water hazards, creatively shaped bunkers are all evidence of a proper professional design by Phil Jacobs. One oddity, however, comes in the shape of a tiny island green on the par-4 ninth. This wasn’t in the original design. There is another green further along the hole, used for the 18th.
Cathedral Peak.
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 61
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024
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