In the eyes of the golf world, South Africa has long stood out for its great players—major champions Gary Player, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, as well as rising stars like Trevor Immelman and Tim Clark. But the figure to make the greatest impact on modern golf in this nation of forty-seven million isn't a golfer at all but a former amateur boxer. His name, of course, is Nelson Mandela. Following the isolation of the apartheid era, South Africa's return to the international community during his presidency sparked a boom in investment that has transformed the country into a leading tourist destination. Golf is a big part of this success story, as new luxury resorts take their place alongside the country's classic courses, but visitors quickly realize there's so much more to experience.
First colonized by the Dutch in the 1650s, then by the English a century and a half later, South Africa today is a rare creature: an "old country" in the process of finding a dynamic new identity. This isn't always easy in a nation with eleven official languages, but South Africa is beginning to draw strength from its diversity. And the natural wonders, from the seascapes of the Garden Route (the scenic coastal highway) to the wildlife of Kruger National Park, are equally diverse. Add to the mix the beauty of the Cape winelands and the inventive cuisine and warm hospitality of multicultural Cape Town, and one begins to sense that while the golf is world-class, the off-course adventures—the sights and sounds and tastes of a supremely fascinating continent—are just as unforgettable.
Where to play
LEOPARD CREEK *****
Around the fairways at Leopard Creek Country Club you'll spot baboons, armies of monkeys, impala, even wandering giraffes. From the river's-edge green of the par-five thirteenth, you might look down on a pod of hippopotamuses or a herd of elephants. Sound more like Wild Kingdom than a serious place to play the game? It's actually not. Golf at Leopard Creek is the nearest Africa comes to the elegance and mannered calm of Augusta National, but it also magically finds a way of coexisting with the bushveld (tropical savanna) that it has borrowed from the local fauna. Bent-grass greens and 1,200 sprinkler heads capable of pumping 800,000 gallons of water a day mean that Leopard Creek isn't exactly a natural ecosystem. Nevertheless, the course that's been created here is manicured to perfection and is truly superb. The view from the elevated tee at the long fifteenth is one to be savored. And for fans of the seventeenth at Kiawah Island's Ocean course, Leopard Creek's par-three sixteenth, a 208-yard carry over water to a tight green, awaits.
Malelane Gate Road, Malelane, Mpumalanga; 011-27/137-912-000, leopardcreek.co.za. Yardage: 7,252. Par: 72. Architect: Gary Player, 1996. Greens Fees: $225 (hotel guest), $63 (with member).
LINKS AT FANCOURT *****
The two teams that fought to a dramatic sundown stalemate at the 2003 Presidents Cup were mesmerized by the Links at Fancourt. This is South Africa's toughest course, and if it was situated on Irish or Scottish coastal terrain, it would be one of their toughest, too. As an homage to Ballybunion or Royal Troon—codesigner Gary Player thinks it has echoes of both—a flat former airfield was turned into a fantasy landscape of high mounds and dunes swaying with tall fescue and rye grasses. Tee shots bound down corridor-narrow fairways sown with a mix of cool-season grasses which, when firm, allow the ball to skip and twist along the land's every contour. On many holes, only the hot sun and the rugged Outeniqua Mountains, which dominate the horizon on this part of the Garden Route, remind golfers that Scotland is half a world away. The spell is powerful enough that even a handful of small lakes and marshes will fail to upset links purists.
Fancourt Hotel and Country Club Estate, Montagu Street, Blanco, George, Western Cape; 011-27/448-040-030, fancourt.com. Yardage: 6,958. Par: 73. Architects: Gary Player and Phil Jacobs, 2000. Greens Fee: $143 (hotel guest).
ARABELLA GOLF CLUB ****1/2
From Cape Town, east and south toward the whale-watching town of Hermanus, lies the Botrivier Lagoon, the largest in South Africa. In surroundings designated a "world biosphere," you'll find a beautiful modern course where eye-catching distractions can range from 130 different species of birds, the Kogelberg Mountains, forest and natural fynbos (Afrikaans for "fine bush," or evergreen shrubland found only in South Africa). This natural canvas provides gorgeous backdrops and a "special place" atmosphere. Arabella's par-five eighth, playing downhill toward a tight lagoon-side green, the high-risk ninth and especially the three closing holes along the water's edge, are the course's standout challenges.
Arabella Country Estate, R44, Kleinmond, Overberg, Western Cape; 011-27/282-849-383, arabellagolf.co.za. Yardage: 6,651. Par: 72. Architect: Peter Matkovich, 2000. Greens Fees: $81 (visitor), $61 (hotel guest).
DURBAN COUNTRY CLUB ****1/2
Located on the edge of this vibrant coastal city, Durban Country Club—one of South Africa's most venerable institutions—decided three years ago it wanted to retake its place among the best in world golf. A spa and restaurant dominate plans for the new clubhouse complex, while on the Country Club course, change has meant new tees, the removal of invasive trees and greater attention to conditioning. The flatter parkland holes in the middle of the routing were the main beneficiaries of the remodeling, but it's the dunesy holes along the Indian Ocean that make Durban a must-see. Elevated tees point to tight routes through bush- and tree-lined fairways, as on the third hole, a par five that plays into a narrow valley from the highest point on the course. It is one of the world's great three-shot holes. The eighteenth is also notable: At just 276 yards, it's a wonderfully tempting finisher, but when the wind blows, nothing is easy at Durban.
Walter Gilbert Road, Durban, KwaZuluNatal; 011-27/313-131-779, dcclubco.za. Yardage: 6,733. Par: 72. Architects: George Waterman and Laurie Waters, 1922. Greens Fees: $50–$71.
PEARL VALLEY SIGNATURE GOLF ESTATE & SPA ****
The signature here is Jack Nicklaus's, on his second layout in South Africa (the first was Pecanwood in Gauteng). Nine man-made lakes dominate play; rye and fescue fairways, manicured bent-grass greens and vast bunkering combine to add up to a genuinely beautiful piece of Nicklausville in the Franschhoek winelands. The waterside green on the par-three thirteenth demands a deep breath—and guts—from the back tee. If there's a criticism, it's that Pearl Valley feels a little bit too corporate, too "safe haven." But then, in South Africa, that's not always such a bad thing.
Pearl Valley Estate, R301, Franschhoek, Western Cape; 011-27/218-678-000, pearlvalley.co.za. Yardage: 7,168. Par: 72. Architect: Jack Nicklaus, 2003. Greens Fee: $84.
PEZULA GOLF CLUB ****
On the clifftop plateau of the Knysna Heads, with a lagoon on one side, the Indian Ocean on the other and the Outeniqua Mountains as the backdrop, Pezula packs as much scenery as anyplace. Formerly known as Sparrebosch, Pezula is a loud, theatrical design. What it lacks in subtlety it makes up for with raw challenge and excitement, as at the par-four fourteenth, where the ocean has the leading role. A three-wood gains you a large landing area; waves crash on the cliffs below. It's hard to ignore the danger of sand around the small green—it's enough to shoot a scene from Lawrence of Arabia—but if you can manage to keep the wind from whipping your punched wedge into another time zone, you'll make par.
Lagoon View Drive, Knysna, Garden Route, Western Cape; 011-27/443-025-300, pezula.com. Yardage: 6,517. Par: 72. Architects: Ronald Fream and David Dale, 2000. Greens Fee: $100.
STEENBERG GOLF CLUB ****
On the Constantia wine route, this course was among the first to signal what lay ahead for golf in South Africa when it opened in the mid-nineties. Steenberg is something of a hybrid design. Tradition is represented by aprons of bent grass around the greens that allow for the bump and run—a shot rarely seen in South Africa, where robust kikuyu grass usually takes this option off the table. The radical comes in the shape of sand- and water-protected island greens, and waste areas (a nod to Pete Dye?) hugging entire fairways. Perhaps the only downside is the claustrophobia caused by real estate lining a few of the fairways. No matter what, you'll want to try a glass of Steenberg's stunning merlot at the nineteenth hole.
Steenberg Estate, Tokai Road, Tokai, Cape Town; 011-27/217-150-227, steenberggolfclub.co.za. Yardage: 7,025. Par: 72. Architect: Peter Matkovich, 1995. Greens Fees: $77 (hotel guest), $49 (with member).
BEST OF THE REST
The 2006 South African Open will be held at Humewood Golf Club (011-27/415-832-137), the country's only natural links course. The club has a first-class pedigree, but with South Africa's golf boom in full swing, surviving on reputation is no longer enough.... The Montagu Course at Fancourt (011-27/448-040-030) is no weak sister to the Links, especially since the recent completion of David McLay Kidd's improvements.... The SA Open has been contested eleven times at the Royal Cape Golf Club (011-27/217-616-551), where a reserved colonial atmosphere still prevails. Dealing with the Cape winds is the key to negotiating this memorable course.... There was nothing regal about Sun City when Sol Kerzner opened his resort and casino in 1979 in what was then Bophuthatswana, a supposedly "independent" black homeland recognized only by the apartheid government. White South African golfers could do legally at Sun City what they couldn't at home—gamble and ogle topless women. Sun City also had the Gary Player Country Club (011-27/145-571-246) and what was then the world's richest tournament, the Million Dollar Challenge. Today Sun City has new owners and the pros play in the Nedbank Challenge on the Country Club course, widely considered to be among the best in South Africa. But why would you visit an African theme park when the real thing is all around you?... Back in 1997, a new Jack Nicklaus course had nearly been completed when unseasonal rains swept the entire project into the Knysna Lagoon. Now under new ownership, Simola Golf & Country Estate (011-27/443-824-144) has finally opened for play. It will soon be a star destination.... Ocean views dominate Ernie Els's Oubaai Golf Club (011-27/448-510-131). Near one of his favorite holiday homes at Herold's Bay (and his beloved Bosvelt Saloon bar), Oubaai is spectacular and championship-tough, though as a new course it might still need some time to mature.... Finally, those planning a winter trip might keep an eye on Pinnacle Point Golf Club (011-27/446-934-002). Opening in November, the Peter Matkovitch–Darren Clarke design has garnered serious buzz for its jaw-dropping clifftop setting.
Where to Stay
BUHALA GAME LODGE Just ten minutes from Leopard Creek Country Club and Kruger Park's Malelane Gate, the Buhala Lodge overlooks the Crocodile River. That means the seasonal company of elephants, buffalo, rhinos and hippos, in view from the lodge's large veranda. There are eight traditionally furnished rooms within the main house, but the two new Elephant Garden suites, which face the river and share a wooden deck area and plunge pool, have cool, contemporary interiors. These suites also feature outdoor showers. Buhala is one of Leopard Creek's designated lodges, allowing guests access to the exclusive golf club.
Malelane, Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga; 011-27/137-924-372, buhala.co.za. Rooms: $108 (per person). Suites: $170 (per person).
FANCOURT HOTEL AND COUNTRY CLUB ESTATE In order to play the Links (or its sister courses, the Montagu and the Outeniqua), one must stay at the encompassing Fancourt resort. The 150-room hotel offers first-rate luxury in both the manor house and its garden suites, but if you're looking for a true romantic hideaway, the place to be is the Glentana lodge, a secluded one-bedroom cottage perched on a cliff high above the Indian Ocean. It also happens to have its own private beach, complete with cavorting dolphins. Just three miles from the main resort, it's the ultimate escape. Make sure to book well in advance.
Montagu Street, Blanco, George, Western Cape; 011-27/448-040-000, fancourt.com. Rooms: $224–$343 (per person). Suites: $469 (per person).
PHANTOM FOREST ECO RESERVE For anyone who's ever wondered what a five-star treehouse would look like, here's your answer. Linked by wooden walkways, Phantom Forest's suites are large and ultracomfortable. Some have glass-walled bathrooms jutting out into the canopy of the Afromontane Forest—no need for curtains, unless you object to curious monkeys swinging by for a look. Dining is in a romantic thatch-roofed cabin, with coffee and liqueurs served later around a boma, the traditional African stone-rimmed fire.
Phantom Pass Road, Knysna; 011-27/443-860-046, phantomforest.com. Rooms: $183–$239 (per person).
QUARTERS HOTEL Resembling a Victorian homage to New Orleans or old Charleston, the Quarters in Durban's smart Morningside district is a small luxury boutique hotel and brasserie. On Florida Road, where most of Durban's best restaurants are found, Quarters is only a short drive from the beach. Durban Country Club is ten minutes away.
101 Florida Road, Morningside, Durban, KwaZuluNatal; 011-27/313-035-246, quarters.co.za. Rooms: $116–$164 (breakfast included).
STEENBERG HOTEL Designated as a National Monument, the Steenberg has thirty rooms—the best being the contemporary design rooms, rather than those more chintz-clad—housed in the original manor house, barn and jonkershuis (house of the eldest son). These beautifully renovated white-walled Cape Dutch buildings, grouped around a large manicured grass courtyard, are at the center of an award-winning winery. The golf course is open only to hotel guests and members.
10802 Steenberg Estate, Tokai Road, Constantia, Cape Town; 011-27/217-132-222, steenberghotel.com. Rooms: $280–$380. Suites: $600–$700.
TWELVE APOSTLES HOTEL AND SPA You must see the sun set over the Cape. One of the best ways to experience this is with cocktails on the deck of the Twelve Apostles, the Atlantic Ocean far below and Table Mountain just over your shoulder. The hotel has seventy rooms, a pool and a subterranean spa, all housed in modern white buildings. The Apostles doesn't blend in; it is standout, confident architecture for a leading hotel.
Victoria Road, Oudekraal, Camps Bay, Cape Town; 011-27/214-379-000, 12apostleshotel.com. Rooms: from $553. Suites: from $763 (breakfast included).
WESTERN CAPE HOTEL & SPA An hour and a quarter out of Cape Town toward Hermanus, the Western Cape Hotel is part of the Arabella Country Estate. From the outside, this 145-room Sheraton-operated hotel looks impersonal, but inside is a different story. It is luxurious and smart, runs on precision service and exudes style and comfort. The resort's AltiraSPA is the type of place that influences spa trends worldwide. Insist on a room overlooking the golf course and the lagoon; the view will stay with you.
Arabella Country Estate, R44, Kleinmond, Overberg, Western Cape; 011-27/282-840-000, westerncapehotelandspa.co.za. Rooms: $372–$471. Suites: $695–$884.
Where to Eat
GINJA (Fusion) Cape Town's restaurant culture has exploded in recent years. Ginja is an atmospheric converted warehouse in the trendy Bo-Kaap district. It does the East-West fusion thing very well with tuna (Thai-style) and salmon (with gribiche—mustard and cucumber—sauce). There are also decidedly African offerings such as curried crocodile and springbok (a small antelope native to southern Africa). If it's booked up, a more casual restaurant from the same owners, called Shoga, is just upstairs.
121 Castle Street, Cape Town; 011-27/214-262-368. $$$
KNYSNA OYSTER COMPANY (Seafood) Overlooking the Knysna lagoon, the Oyster Company offers both traditional and novel ways of serving wild and locally cultivated oysters. The adventurous might try zwembezi: oysters deep-fried and served with spinach, tomato, corn and biltong (dried meat)—more unconventional you cannot get.
Long Street, Thesens Island, Knysna; 011-27/443-826-941. $$
LA PETITE FERME (French provincial) Drive less than fifteen minutes from the clubhouse at Pearl Valley and you'll be in Franschhoek, the "French corner" of the Cape and the self-proclaimed gourmet center of South Africa. There are some wonderful restaurants here, but La Petite Ferme, which opens only for lunch, is the star. Smoked trout is the house specialty.
Franschhoek Pass Road, Franschhoek; 011-27/218-763-016. $$
SEAFOOD AT THE MARINE (Seafood) The five-star Marine Hotel is perched on cliffs above the bay in Hermanus, the whale-watching capital of South Africa and a fifteen-minute drive from Arabella Golf Club. The open-kitchen design here was inspired by the seafood bar at Harrods in London. The "rich man's fish and chips" and the Walker Bay sole are both rather special.
Marine Drive, Hermanus, Western Cape; 011-27/283-131-000. $$
On Safari in Kruger National Park
It is 5:30 a.m. at Leopard Hills, a private game reserve in Kruger National Park. The sun isn't up yet. It's cold. I pull on a fleece climbing into the Land Rover for the morning drive. The mood is one of anticipation: What will we see today? Minutes after leaving the lodge, along the dirt track, there's a roadblock. Not traffic, not roadwork—elephants, scores of them, from huge, tail-flicking bulls to tiny calves scooting to keep up. Not that we need reminding, but this is their place; on safari, you're always a guest.
Many days begin like this at Leopard Hills. There's five-star luxury here: beautiful glass-fronted, air-conditioned suites appointed in style ready-made for a Ralph Lauren photo shoot, plus your own private plunge pool. The main mansion, with its gourmet dining room and attentive staff, is a paragon of colonial splendor. But at the end of each day, what you see in the wild is what captures your dreams.
As the bush warms up, out come giraffes, water buffalo, hundreds of monkeys and baboons, more birds than one can name or remember. Our lunch companions are rhino and zebra. During the afternoon game-drive, the ranger radios colleagues from other lodges. His language is a hodgepodge of verbal winks and nods, designed to keep us in the dark as to what's next. But gradually I pick up the code, and learn that six lions wandering the area are close by. Two lionesses also know the males are in town. An hour later, after quietly watching a skilled temptress at play, one of the males mates with her, almost in front of us. On the way back to the lodge for a tasty braai (barbecue), there's a surprise. A local leopard named Makwela is there, sitting regally in a tree, relaxed as a Hollywood star on camera. Settling in for the night, one thought overwhelms me: They will all be here tomorrow. The rhythm of a safari is mesmerizing. Each day is the same; each totally different. — J.C.
Leopard Hills, Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga; 011-27/137-376-626, leopardhills.com. Inclusive suite prices (per night): $589–$913.
Orientation
GETTING THERE
Direct flights from the U.S. to Cape Town aren't available; London is the best gateway city to South Africa. South African Airways (SAA) and British Airways (BA) operate daily flights—twelve hours in duration—to both Cape Town and Johannesburg. SAA also runs a New York–Jo'burg flight via Dakar, Senegal—flight time is eighteen hours. The only direct flight from the U.S. to South Africa will be an Atlanta–Jo'burg route, which Delta will offer beginning December 4. Within South Africa, domestic flights from SAA as well as no-frills carriers like Kulula (kulula.com) are a convenient way to cover ground.
GETTING AROUND
Public transport is a nonstarter in much of South Africa. Buses and trains—apart from the luxury Blue Train and Rovos Rail—are not safe. Traveling with a tour operator is your best bet, but here are a few tips if you decide to rent your own car: In larger towns, locals (often in semi-official fluorescent tops) will offer to look after your parked car. Let them. A two-rand coin, paid upon your return, is the going rate. Always clear everything from view inside the car. (Your definition of what's valuable won't correspond with others'.) Don't drive with your windows down. In South Africa, most new cars lock automatically from the inside, for good reason.
Essentials
CLIMATE
The Western Cape has an almost Mediterranean climate, with mild, changeable winters (May to September) when most of the rainfall occurs, and hot summers (October to April). Travel east of the Cape and you'll find some rain year-round, but more constant temperatures. Seasonal changes in Kruger National Park affect those on safari. The rainy season (September to March) leaves the bush dense through May, making wildlife viewing a bit harder. But when the dry winter months arrive (June through August), the lush leaves of trees and shrubs retreat, leaving animals with less to hide behind. Without rain, they are forced into using the larger watering holes, making their movements easier for rangers to predict. At Leopard Hills game reserve, thirsty elephants have been known to come up to the pools at the lodges, stick their trunks in and drink them dry. (Apparently elephants don't mind a spot of chlorine in their water!)
HEALTH
Antimalarial prophylaxis isn't necessary in the Western or Eastern Cape provinces. However, it's essential if you are planning to travel to KwaZuluNatal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga or anywhere near the Mozambique border. Seek advice from a physician on what precautionary measures to take.
Travel Tips
Tour operators
The best way to experience South Africa is with a tour operator. Besides the enhanced security and convenience they offer, South Africa's a big country—you'll be covering serious distances, and not having to worry about travel details will help you hit the first tee feeling relaxed. Here are some top packages:
Abercrombie & Kent Private Travel: The Signature South Africa package includes Cape Town, the Garden Route and Kruger Park. Custom golf options can be built in at any point along the way. Ten nights, from $8,818. Call 011-44/207-1907-750 or visit abercrombiekent.co.uk/privatetravel.
PerryGolf: Play courses including the Links at Fancourt, Royal Cape, Oubaai and the Gary Player Country Club on a guided golf package covering Cape Town, Fancourt and Sun City, from $7,000. Call 800-344-5257 or visit perrygolf.com.
Wide World of Golf: The South Africa Golf Safari includes fourteen nights accommodation and seven rounds of golf, including both courses at Fancourt, Royal Cape and Gary Player Country Club. From $5,885. Call 800-214-4653 or visit wideworldofgolf.com.
LOCAL LINGO
Like golfers anywhere, South Africans have their own slang. A few terms:
Giraffe's Ass: A skied tee shot—it's high and it stinks.
Nelson Mandela: A drive way off-line—it's a long walk to freedom from there.
Ama-Glug-Glug: A drive that doesn't reach the ladies' tee; the offender must down his drink ("ama" is a Zulu prefix meaning "plenty").
Wine Country
The "Mandela magic" that positively touched every aspect of tourism also brought a creative verve to South African wine, one that you can see—and taste—on the Constantia and Stellenbosch wine routes. Start where it all began in the seventeenth century, at Groot Constantia, the estate to which the Cape's first colonial governor retired. At tables on the lawn outside the gabled Cape Dutch manor house, guests enjoy the gorgeous view of False Bay over a glass of the estate's famous chardonnay. Stellenbosch is the Afrikaner culture capital of the Cape. Winemaking around this university town is ubiquitous—there's average stuff, and there's the sublime. Lanzerac, Speir, Thelema and Vergelegen are beautiful estates producing beautiful wines. Moving east, Franschhoek was settled by French Huguenots in the late seventeenth century. The local vignerons sometimes trade too much on their French heritage, while newcomers like Boekenhoutskloof steal the show with classy cabernets and smooth semillons. The Cape winelands hold the history, politics, failures and successes of South Africa in their bottles. These wine routes are an endless nineteenth hole, the ultimate excuse for yet another day away. Visit constantiawineroute.co.za or wineroute.co.za for details.
