Founded in 1994, North West province occupies an area of 40,000 square miles to the south of Botswana, forming boundaries with four other South African provinces. Gold, uranium, platinum and diamond mines form the backbone of the North West’s economy, providng many jobs for its population of three and a quarter million people.

North West Province Golf Union and North West Women’s Golf are the two provincial governing bodies that look after the golfing interests of male and female golfers in the region and they each provide an administration service to over 5,000 golfers in around 30 clubs. Golf at seventeen of these clubs is played on a 9-hole course with members at one club, Venterspost, having the use of a 10-hole layout.

Orkney and Goldfields West are a couple of much-admired old Bob Grimsdell designs in the province but it’s a trio of newer, more polished tracks that take the ranking honours in the North West. The first of these is Pecanwood, an engaging Jack Nicklaus Signature course that opened in 1999. The other two courses are found at the Sun City resort, where the Gary Player Country Club and Lost City layouts are amongst the best in the country.