Western Cape

Amateur golf in the Western Cape is governed by three different bodies: Western Province Golf Union (14,000 golfers in 22 clubs), Southern Cape Golf Union (6,000 members in 25 clubs) and Boland Golf Union, which has around 12,000 members in 33 clubs. Each of these independent authorities is in turn affiliated to the South African Golf Association in Johannesburg. Peter Matkovich is South Africa’s most prolific modern golf course architect and a number of his designs feature prominently in the regional rankings for Western Cape: Arabella made a stunning debut at the end of the 1990s and a couple of new millennium tracks – Pinnacle Point and De Zalze – have also attracted high praise. Gary Player’s 54-hole complex at Fancourt is easily the best golf resort in the country with the Links, Montagu and Outeniqua courses consistently ranked in the upper echelons of the national golf course ratings.

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  1. Fancourt (The Links)

    Western Cape, South Africa

    The Links course at Fancourt opened for play in November 2000 and it represents a unique and very tough South African golfing experience.

  2. Fancourt (Montagu)

    Western Cape, South Africa

    The 18-hole Montagu parkland layout is the original course at Fancourt (from an initial 27-hole design), which was upgraded in 2005 when new 1st and 9th holes were introduced.

  3. Pearl Valley

    Western Cape, South Africa

    Laid out within a 500-acre residential estate in the Cape Winelands, Pearl Valley is one of the most visually pleasing golf courses imaginable...

  4. Arabella Country Estate

    Western Cape, South Africa

    Arabella Golf Club is set dramatically on the edge of Bot River Lagoon. This wetland is home to thousands of waterfowl, so keep your eyes peeled for the Blue Crane… this beautiful bird is even the Arabella club emblem.

  5. Pinnacle Point Estate

    Western Cape, South Africa

    According to Peter Matkovich – the architect behind Pinnacle Point – this is: "The most dramatic golf course site I've ever encountered anywhere in the world!"

  6. Simola

    Western Cape, South Africa

    The Jack Nicklaus designed Simola opened in 2005 – only the third Golden Bear signature course in South Africa – and it sits majestically on a wooded landscape overlooking the Knysna River...

  7. George

    Western Cape, South Africa

    George Golf Club members have played on the same site for more than 85 years so it’s little wonder George is sometimes referred to – by Fancourt visitors in particular – as “the Old Course.”

  8. Fancourt (Outeniqua)

    Western Cape, South Africa

    The Outeniqua (meaning “land of milk and honey”) parkland layout has a number of fairways bounded by white-walled, thatched roof villas, adding character and colour to the surroundings.

  9. Pezula Golf Estate

    Western Cape, South Africa

    The fairways at Pezula – meaning “high up with the gods” – are part and parcel of a sizeable residential estate laid out on a commanding headland at Knysna in the heart of the Garden Route...

  10. Erinvale Estate

    Western Cape, South Africa

    Erinvale was one of the earliest residential estate courses in South Africa to open back in 1995 and it made an immediate world wide impact the following year when it hosted the World Cup of Golf...

  11. De Zalze Golf Club

    Western Cape, South Africa

    De Zalze is yet another creation from the prolific Peter Matkovich and is laid out within the 750-acre Spier Estate in the shadow of the Helderberg Mountains...

  12. Clovelly Golf Club

    Western Cape, South Africa

    With spectacular mountain views, False Bay and the ocean as a focal point, it’s no wonder that Clovelly was one of Bobby Locke’s favourite courses.

  13. Steenberg Golf Club

    Western Cape, South Africa

    The course at Steenberg is part of a long-established estate that includes a 17th century wine farm, hotel and residential properties...

  14. Hermanus (East)

    Western Cape, South Africa

    Known in South Africa as the best land-based whale watching place in the world, the small fishing village of Hermanus at Walker Bay is also the location of a very good golf course...

  15. Royal Cape

    Western Cape, South Africa

    Royal Cape is South Africa's oldest golf club and has played host to no fewer than ten South African Opens.

  16. Plettenberg Bay

    Western Cape, South Africa

    Hawtree and Sons laid out Plettenberg Bay in the Piesang River valley, and the design at Plett (as it’s known to the locals) makes great use of water at a number of holes...

  17. Oubaai

    Western Cape, South Africa

    The signature hole at Oubaai is the par three 17th, played downhill to what, in modern course design parlance, is termed an “infinity green” with the sparkling Indian Ocean as a backdrop.

  18. Stellenbosch

    Western Cape, South Africa

    Co-host (with De Zalze) to the World Amateur Team Championships in 2006, Stellenbosch Golf Club has also been the venue of other prestigious events like the South African Open which the club held in 1999.

  19. Atlantic Beach

    Western Cape, South Africa

    Atlantic Beach is situated amongst undulating sand hills and a residential estate that is contained within a nature reserve on the shore of Table Bay.

  20. Paarl (River & Paarl)

    Western Cape, South Africa

    Paarl Golf Club now boasts a 27-hole golf complex after David Frost and Danie Obermeyer redesigned the original River and Paarl nines, adding the 9-hole Boschenmeer circuit in 1999.