Silver Lakes Golf Estate - Gauteng - South Africa

Back in 1993, Silver Lakes was one of the first courses built by Zimbabwean Peter Matkovich and his business partner Dale Hayes. It’s now one of the largest residential golf projects in the country, becoming the first South African golf course to be awarded golf’s highest sustainability accolade, GEO Certified, in 2016.

Part of a residential estate to the east of Pretoria, Silver Lakes was built on a flood plain that required the construction of many ponds, dams and streams to manage the water around which most of the holes were created. Be prepared to lose a few balls on the way round here as it’s nearly impossible to stay dry all the way round.

The par three 3rd hole is an eye catcher on the front nine, played to a green that is protected by a large bunker dotted with cacti and rocks. On the back nine, the 495-yard, par 5 14th is a real feature hole, with water in play all the way down the right of the narrow fairway from tee to green. Both loops of nine (at the par three 9th and par five 18th) end with holes that are played to an island green so be prepared for a watery end to the first or second half of your round here!