Golf the Mzansi Way: Where Fairways Meet Horizon

AAs much of the northern hemisphere prepares for winter, South Africa opens into summer – long warm days, festive season travel, and time spent outdoors. From November through April, the country’s fairways are bathed in sunshine, making golf the perfect addition to a South African summer holiday.

South Africa’s summer is also its golf season. Each December, Sun City hosts the Nedbank Golf Challenge, one of Africa’s premier professional tournaments. The event brings global attention and world-class talent to the Gary Player Country Club, reinforcing South Africa’s reputation for hosting exceptional large-scale golf experiences. And in March 2026, the spotlight returns as LIV Golf arrives at Steyn City in Johannesburg, marking another significant moment for the country’s growing presence on the world golfing stage.

The Club at Steyn City offers a contrasting chapter of modern luxury. Designed by Jack Nicklaus’s team at Nicklaus Design, the 18-hole course follows the Jukskei River across more than 90 hectares of parkland. With wide fairways, 75 bunkers and sweeping water features, it’s both immaculate and inviting – suited to seasoned players and leisure travellers alike.

In Soweto, the Soweto Country Club reflects a legacy of community and determination. Founded in 1974 by passionate local golfers who first played on sandy greens, it stood as a symbol of resilience long before its fairways were green. Decades later, conversations led by Justice Matshaya and the Sunshine Tour resulted in a full revitalisation in 2017, supported by the City of Johannesburg and private partners. Today, it stands as an emblem of township enterprise and shared pride – a place where golf is woven into daily life and progress.

Then head to the North West Province, where Sun City offers two of the country’s – and Gary Player’s – most recognised courses: the Gary Player Country Club and the Lost City Golf Course. The Country Club is known for its strategic play and immaculate shaping, while Lost City stretches wider, framed by rugged outcrops and warm bushveld air. Between rounds, the resort atmosphere invites slow days by the pool, spa time, and evenings under the glow of the Pilanesberg’s ancient volcanic ridges.

Follow the coastline to the Garden Route, a region celebrated worldwide for its dramatic golf landscapes. Here, fairways sweep between forests, lakes and sea-salt breeze. At the heart of the region, Fancourt offers three acclaimed courses, including The Links, designed by Gary Player with architect Phil Jacobs. The Links feels sculpted from nature itself, its contours echoing the wild dune systems of the Southern Cape. Just along the coast, Oubaai, designed by Ernie Els, unfolds above the ocean at Herolds Bay. The course reflects Els’s signature: generous lines, calm elegance and a continuous conversation with the horizon.

Then turn inland to the Lowveld, where the earth warms into gold and the bushveld opens toward the Kruger National Park. Here lies Leopard Creek, designed by Gary Player in partnership with owner Johann Rupert. The routing was deliberately shaped to open out onto the Crocodile River and the wilderness beyond; the course frames nature rather than dividing it. From certain greens, the horizon runs unbroken into the reserve; it’s not unusual to see giraffes or antelope moving quietly in the distance.

For travellers drawn to wine, slow living and mountain air, the Cape Winelands offer another mood entirely. Pearl Valley, a Jack Nicklaus Signature course in Franschhoek, brings generous fairways and reflective water features set against dramatic ridgelines. Nearby, Erinvale, designed by Gary Player, rests beneath the Helderberg peaks, with tree-lined fairways and soft valley light. And De Zalze, shaped by South African architect Peter Matkovich, moves through orchards and Stellenbosch vineyards with welcoming rhythm. Here, a round of golf drifts easily into cellar tastings, farm lunches and late afternoon terrace views.

For sea and sunshine, travel up KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast to Zimbali, where the Zimbali Country Club course moves between coastal forest, tidal air and sweeping ocean light. Designed by Tom Weiskopf, the layout feels woven into the landscape, drawing in both competitive and leisure golfers.

Its variety is what sets South Africa apart. Signature championship courses sit comfortably alongside relaxed coastal clubs and warm local fairways where the game is friendly and unpretentious. Whether travelling solo, with family, or with friends, the experience is always defined by hospitality, spacious landscapes and a sense of ease.

To golf in South Africa is to weave the game into memory: sunrise safari drives, vineyard terraces, coastal road trips and nights gathered around firelight. This is the experience South African Tourism invites travellers to discover – golf played in open air, open light and open space. Here, you don’t simply play. You step into scenery.

Come and play where fairways meet horizon. Come and find your joy.

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