Eastern Cape
Formed in 1994, Eastern Cape lies on the south coast of South Africa and it shares internal boundaries with four other provinces as well as a border with three districts in the land locked country and enclave of Lesotho. The conurbations around the coastal cities of Port Elizabeth and East London are where many of the seven million people in the province have gravitated to and these busy ports play a central part in the region’s economy.
Amateur golf in Eastern Cape is administered by the Eastern Province Golf Union (with 7,000 members in 26 clubs) and Border Golf Union (which has around 3,000 members in 23 clubs). The Eastern Cape Women’s Golf Association looks after female golfers, and this governing body oversees the golfing affairs of members in 26 affiliated clubs.
Humewood is said to be the only true links layout in the whole country and it dates back to the late 1920s when SV Hotchkin set out the course whilst on a visit from England. He also, during the same trip, had a hand in the design of the East London course on a site that the club had moved to in 1923. Of more recent vintage, Robert Trent Jones Jnr’s Wild Coast course near Port Edward and the Jack Nicklaus St Francis Links layout hold lofty positions in the national ranking charts.
