Pinnacle Point - Western Cape - South Africa

Pinnacle Point is by far the best course I have ever played. I really do not know how it is so low on this list I definitely think it deserves a top 10 course probably even top 5. This course has the best views possible and is quite short but if you don't hit it straight you will be punished.

Why this course is so low on this list amazes me. Such an incredible course. Its very tough and i think that alot of golfers have bad rounds and mark it down. No hole is alike, you have to hit long and straight, or sometimes just straight and play very tactically. Hole 7 is an incredible hole and one of the best that i have played in South Africa. Staff are friendly as well. Not for novices, but worth 2 rounds off the back tees to really enjoy this. Bring your camera and lots of balls.

It is easy to overlook Pinnacle Point with all the other great courses in the Western Cape, but it is a must visit. I played here in November 2020 with my father and what a round we had.

It is picturesque with sea views from almost every hole, and we saw dolphins on numerous occasions. The service is of course fantastic and if the wind blows, you are in for a tough day. The greens are wonderfully slopey.

This is a really fun course to play, with many canyons and cliffs to play over. My favourite was the par 4 8th, bail out left and assure yourelf of a par, or go for it over the cliffs - it is easily reachable in 1 with a well struck driver or 3 wood.

We stayed on site and only paid £55 to play which for such a well maintained course is incredible value.

I feel it could rank higher in official rankings for the area.

Pinnacle Point is probably one of the most difficult golf courses in the world. Course rating from the back tee is 76,3. But also, without doubt, among one of the world’s most scenic. Whether it is the first or second quality that is the reason for it being voted by World Golf Awards as being the best golf course in South Africa from 2016 to 2020, I don’t know.

The nature is fantastic and the course is simply impossible for the ordinary golfer to play just close to your handicap, and even the very best playing pros are having difficulties playing it to par. Some call it a risk-reward course. I don’t agree. It is a dead or alive course. Especially for 3 of the par 3 holes. Either you hit the green, are in the ravine or the ocean. There are no other options.

To the green fee you have to add a golf cart, because you are not allowed to walk. But it is a beautiful drive and an exciting experience. If you go to play it, be sure to bring many extra balls, because you are not allowed to go into the rough to pick it up. It is lost . . . I was lucky to play it twice in no wind. Wonder how many balls I would have lost in strong wind!

PS.:

The Award, apparently is given to the course by ordinary golfers participating in a voting process facilitated by and on World Golf Awards home page. As I can see it there are no specific criteria to relate to, just click on one of the nominated golf courses.

In Denmark, for example, this year there are 6 courses to choose between. My question is: how and who are selecting the nominees and how many golfers are voting, and especially how many members from one of the nominated clubs? I could mention one or two more clubs in Denmark that I think deserve to be among the nominees.

It is really difficult for me to understand, the selection and voting process as well as the result, unless you, in the case of Pinnacle Point, votes Yes to: “this is the most scenic golf course in the whole of South Africa”.

I played the course twice within 3 days. What an fun and enjoyable course. You need a buggy and I'm not a fan, but it didn't impact on the experience. If staying around George, don’t miss out on this this course. Stunning views, especially when playing towards the clubhouse. The first day there were gusts up to 55 mph, on the second the wind was nearly in the complete opposite direction and gusts up to 15 mph. What this help show was how well designed the course was for different conditions. On most holes there is plenty of room off the tee to find a fairway and if the wind gets your ball you are likely to be in a lateral hazard and can take a drop. After a brutal first day, all 12 of us enjoyed the challenge so much we wanted to play again even if the conditions were the same. Fortunately, on the second day the wind down and you can start choosing better lines off the tee.

A good set of par 3’s. The shortest I the 7th, downhill and only 111 metres off the white tees with wind across towards the cliffs one day and downwind the next. The 16th, par 5 stroke index 1 was a 9 iron third shot one day and all of us were struggling to reach it in 3 second day. These two holes are an indication how it was a totally different experience to play from one day to the next, as it was for all 18 holes.

The stimp reading was 9 for the greens both days, understandable first day, and they were smooth. Condition of the course was excellent.

Sit back and have a well earned drink in the clubhouse with stunning views after the round.

Probably it is one of the most picturesque fields and one of the best golf courses in the Garden Route and TOP 10 in South Africa. I had played here 3 times in the middle of January, condition of fields was pretty good, greens could be faster (too slow for me). They have really 5 stars villas and apartments resort with acceptable price and discount for residens to play golf. I was bit dissapointed regarding driving range. It was somewhere outside fields and our company of players didn‘t reach it all week lived here. Golf cource is extremaly challenging, especially when windy. For example, one day when was relatively quiet, I over hit the green with PW in 7 hole (was 139 y to pin, bit downhill)...but next day with front wind I didn‘t reach green with 9 iron! Definitely I’m not pro player, but wind here make miracles. Some of this holes really eating your balls  Especially 8th and 9th hole, also 13th with 18th. The 5th hole and 18th hole is calling to do risky long drive for an eagle chance...to be with second on the green, but everything depends on wind. Hole No. 8 is a true “Risk and Reward” hole – possibility to reach green from the tee turning your sensible mind off ... Actually every golf course rating is always a subject with a lot of subjectivity, depending on various criteria. I always rating by the following criteria: course complexity or challenging, fields condition (especially greens & fairways), service (only what you can get: buggie, club rent, condition of clubs, the amount of choice and etc. except staff and other subjective things that depends on your or staff mood), surrounding views or pleasure to the eyes and definitely value for the price. All criteries will be rating from 1 to 5 stars. Concerning Pinnacle Point my personal opinion is follow:

1. Challenging - 5*+ (especially when windy)

2. Condition - 4*

3. Service - 4* (everything OK, excl driving range)

4. Surroundings - 5*+ (surrounding images even prevents concentration of game)

5. Value for the price - 5*

I think it is one of „must be played“ in South Africa. If you want to test your accuracy – let‘s try!

I will be back and not one time.

Played it for about the third time today. Course - good, condition - okay. Wow factor - 10/10. I cannot imagine there being better wow golf holes in the world than 9, 12, 13 and 18 at Pinnacle Point. Incredible views!!

There are great golf courses and there are also great golf experiences, Pinnacle Point is in the latter for me but still enough to warrant a 5-ball ranking. Around the world there must be 100’s of ‘bucket-list’ courses, the must-play courses just because they are spectacular and normally very close to the ocean … Old Head (Ireland), Pebble Beach (USA), Cape Kidnappers (New Zealand) are in this category and I would now include Pinnacle Point. First thing to mention is that the clubhouse here is one of the very best that I have been in; great 360 degree views over several floors and a superb atmosphere. To the course; the first two holes are uphill and could be classed as weaker than many others on the course (I do think that any downhill hole has an advantage on the uphill ones on most courses though). The par-4 4th is SI-1 and a tough cookie at the highest point on the course and the start of holes back to the sea. The par-4 6th needs a drive over plenty of waste-land to a slightly mounded fairway and more of the mounds at the green, a little Irish links feel here. The 7th is the ‘camera moment’ on the front nine – and is probably many golfers favourite played par-3’s – this is an island green on top of a cliff and as dramatic as it comes and not unlike the 14th at Doonbeg, Ireland. More par-3 drama at the 9th – 200 yards (mostly carry) over rock and ocean – it is the time to be brave and not shy on this tee! The par-5 16th stretches to around 630 yards and is a great strategic three shotter with the green set brilliantly in front of the grass embankment. The closing hole will stick in the mind for ever; a par-5 playing along the Eden Bay cliffs with a 350 yard bunker on the left-side and a fairway with a severe movement to the left. Playing at Pinnacle Point is likely to take a few rounds to get over the obvious intimidation that you will have on many tees but you will have such a great time – if anyone can get near to handicap and keep the same ball during a first visit, take a bow!

I have been there in March and read a lot of different opinions before reviewing as this course is said to be great and rubbish at the same time and I got so messed that wanted to make a carefull review after listening to many opinions. The first thing to consider is to be objective to analize the piece of land given to the architect, he can be creative but cannot turn a 20m uphill elevation change into a downhill path! It is true first 3 holes are not great, but you play all the way uphill upto the highest point in the course, where views of the course, club house and ocean are astonishing. The you play downhill and 2 great holes (par 5 5th and par 4 6th) with dramatic carries. But when you arrive to 7th, a 140 yard par 3, you think #7 at Pebble is just standard: this par 3 with cliffs on the right and before the green is so dramatic that every bad shot will be in the bottom of the ocean. Then reachable par 4 8th is very criticized but with the piece of land give, I believe the result is a great risk-reward hole. and 9th a very nice par 3 with the Club House at your left and all the Ocean on the right, simply great. 10th and 11th 2 great par 4s, but 12-13 are two of the best holes, being 13th a par 3 were higher handicappers can feel really embarassed. The stretch 14-16 is not that special, but yet 3 great holes. but when you arrive to 17th the best has come: a great par 3 with views as good as they can get and where you need to be VERY accurate with the tee shot. And 18th looks very similar to finishing hole at Kapalua, I can say a finishing hole can be better!!! I was fortunate to play it on a sunny and little windy day, they say that if it blows it can make you really sick, but in my opinion it is just part of the challenge. People in my group had very different reviews and was surprised by Andy Waple's bad one (he is a 10 hcp). In my opinion this is a course to be played more than once, it is great and match play can be a great fun. You just need to focus on the challenge and go for it, but if visiting SA this is a must, and to be played more than once.

Having also played 7 courses around the Cape this was by far my least favourite. On a number of holes there are spectacular views which makes the course special - that said it is a buggy course and you cannot get you buggy to several Tees and fairways which means not only have you no clue as to yardage you also have to take several clubs. This would be fine if it were not for the fact that you have to carry a rocks.Overral an experience at very reasonable cost but not a course to play if you wish to be near your handicap.