Golfing holidays in South Africa: you’ll be amazed by the number of world-class courses!

IIt may surprise some to learn that South Africa is one of the world’s best golfing holiday destinations – with world-class courses, many designed by giants of the game, and a well-established supporting infrastructure. South Africa has numerous golfing holiday tour operators who can arrange your golf adventures around the country, according to your budget and available time. 

Even if you aren’t part of an arranged golfing tour, it’s still very easy to hire a car from one of the country’s major airports and opt for an independent golf safari. South Africa has excellent roads and travelling around is a lot easier than international visitors might expect, despite the vastness of the country. 

From Johannesburg, wildlife resorts such as the Kruger National Park are just a few hours’ drive away – and some of the country’s top courses are situated nearby; in fact, superb golf estates around the country are often near wildlife reserves. Visitors can enjoy 18 holes in between taking in the natural wonders. 

There are several courses to consider in the northern part of South Africa (within easy driving distance of Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International or Lanseria airports). You could try Sun City in North West province (with a course designed by Gary Player), and in Limpopo province there is the Legends Golf and Safari Resort, with its Signature Course: 18 holes each designed by a different golfing great.  

The Hans Merensky Golf Course (by Bob Grimsdell, one of South Africa’s first giants of course design) is also in Limpopo, and Leopard Creek Country Club (another Gary Player course) is in Mpumalanga. If you prefer to play on a course designed by a third South African legend, Ernie Els, try the course on Copperleaf gated estate in Gauteng; it is also easily accessible from Jo’burg’s airports. 

Western Cape province, which includes the city of Cape Town as well as the famous Garden Route, should be on every golfer’s bucket list – after all, the Wynberg course on which golf was first played in South Africa was in Cape Town (although the club formed around it, the Royal Cape Golf Club, has since moved and can now be found in Rondebosch).  

The club was instituted on 14 November 1885, but only played its first medal tournament in August 1886, so Royal Cape is involved in an ongoing rivalry with Maritzburg Golf Club on the other side of the country over which is actually South Africa’s oldest golf club – the Pietermaritzburg club held its first tournament in June 1886. 

If you prefer your history a bit fresher, there is another Ernie Els course at the Oubaai Golf Estate in the Garden Route town of George. Fancourt, another golf estate in George, has three world-class courses – again the brainchildren of Gary Player – with luxury accommodation. 

Eastern Cape also has several excellent golf holiday establishments, such as St Francis Golf Lodge, with a course designed by Jack Nicklaus, which has received some rave reviews on respected independent travel website TripAdvisor. At the northern end of Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast, on the KwaZulu-Natal border, you’ll find the Wild Coast Sun, a popular resort offering all kinds of water sports as well as a golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr, scion of the famous US golf course-design dynasty. 

There’s more for history lovers in KwaZulu-Natal, too: Royal Durban Golf Club, surrounded by Greyville Racecourse, was established in 1892, but the course was completely rebuilt in 1932 under the auspices of Bob Grimsdell. The Durban Country Club course, designed by George Waterman, opened in 1922, but its fairways and hazards have stood the test of time.  

Drive up KwaZulu-Natal’s Dolphin Coast to Ballito, and you’ll find Zimbali Country Club, where you can enjoy epic views of coastal forests and the Indian Ocean as you play 18 holes designed by Tom Weiskopf.