A guide to golfing in South Africa

South Africa golfing has seen huge growth since the 1980s when courses compared dismally with those of international standards in the rest of the world. Following negative feedback from local golfers who traveled abroad and reported back on the high quality of courses in other countries, local courses started major overhauling of the greens and facilities, and the effect snowballed as other courses followed suit.

The results have been spectacular. Today South Africa stands proudly alongside the world’s finest golfing countries with numerous courses on offer, many of them of the highest international standard.

A proud golfing history

South Africa has hosted many international golf championships. Our own top golfers Gary Player, Retief Goosen and Ernie Els have played on South African greens alongside Tiger Woods and other living golfing legends, as well as celebrities like Jodie Kidd.

The Presidents Cup, the Million Dollar Nedbank Golf Challenge, the Sunshine Tour and the South African Open are just some of the golf events that are regularly held in South Africa.

But South Africa is not just a golfing destination for professionals–far from it.  For expats, locals and tourists alike, South Africa offers an extensive selection of great courses all around the country. Whether you’re in beautiful Cape Town, balmy Durban, vibey Jo’burg or even on safari in Kruger you’re never far from an excellent South African golf course.

The Cape Town golf courses boast views of beaches, mountains and the oceans – making full use of the stunning natural environment as a backdrop to a great game of golf.

Best wines in the world

Heading out to the Cape Winelands? More breathtaking surroundings make the wine route golf courses equally impressive – and what better way to end a round than tasting some of the best wines in the world? Talk about a classy 19th hole!

Combine a day of whale watching (in season) at Hermanus with a visit to the 6-star Arabella golf course near Hermanus. The whale route is loved by nature and golf lovers as well as those wishing to experience more dangerous adventures like shark cage diving and paragliding.

Golf courses around South Africa

A drive up the Garden Route along the scenic coastline from Cape Town to Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) is another popular experience. Its perennially green location is a great location for golf courses, and there certainly are plenty of them here! They are most cleverly set out to blend with the natural geographic surroundings.

The Eastern Cape, with its strong gusty winds, makes golfing extra challenging. The scenic backdrop to the different East Coast golf courses varies from evergreen forests to arid Karoo plains, while eternal beaches and unspoiled vegetation abound.

From the south to the north coast, Durban offers relaxation with a cosmopolitan buzz. The Durban South Coast is known as the Golf Coast, and it has a comprehensive selection of beautiful yet challenging golf courses. Durban itself is balmy year-round, with a sub-tropical climate and great golfing weather throughout the year.

Johannesburg boasts some particularly fine golf courses and it is unsurprising that some of these have hosted European PGA Tours and South African Sunshine Tour events. The Johannesburg climate is well-suited to golfing and the area offers a great number of excellent golf courses