Leopard Park

Mafikeng, the capital of South Africa’s North West province is situated close to the border with Botswana and it’s best known in recent history as the garrison town that came under siege during the Second Boer War, with heavily outnumbered British forces holding out against 8,000 Boer troops until reinforcements arrived after 217 days.

Leopard Park Golf Club is situated in the heart of the bushveld, four miles north of modern day Mafeking, and the course has been described as “an oasis in the north west.” This assertion is not really surprising when you consider that water is in play at eight of the holes, most notably at the island green on the 18th.

Fairways are, in the main, flat and narrow – even though Peter Matkovich did shift a fair amount of earth during construction to create some contours – and holes weave through stands of acacia trees that characterise the landscape on the property.

The long, doglegged 4th is a fine par four on the front nine and the short 16th is one of the prettiest holes on the course but it’s the tremendous 560-yard home hole that leaves golfers with a lasting impression of their round here.