Mooinooi

Mooinooi is one of the best 9-hole facilities in the country and it’s the only 9-holer to have hosted a Sunshine Tour event, staging the Platinum Classic from 1996 to 2013. The layout first opened for play in 1974, when it was originally named Westplats Golf Club.

A Mr Magielse, who was head of the Turf Grass Research Station at Witwatersrand University laid out the holes – along with John Pitchers, who ran the Rock Drill Workshop at Western Platinum Mine – at the instigation of the mining company’s general manager.

Initially, the course was only open to employees and golfers invited by the GM but this rule was later changed to allow a more open membership. The club’s name was then changed in 1988 as access to the golf course became a lot easier to achieve.

The original greens were planted with cynodon grass but, early in the new millennium, they were converted to bent grass putting surfaces after plans to expand the layout to an 18-hole course fell through. The upgraded layout re-opened on 6th November 2001.

Notable holes include the par threes at #4 and #6; the first plays over a winding little creek in front of the green and the second has protecting bunkers in place on either side of the putting surface. The right doglegging par four 9th is another fine hole, narrowing considerably as it reaches the home green next to the clubhouse.