South Africa‘s world-class golf courses combined with its verdant countryside, dramatic coastline and incredible wildlife and game reserves make it a fantastic destination for adventurous golfers. Let’s take a look at the five best golf resorts this beautiful country has to offer.
Fancourt Golf Resort
Located in the Garden Route region on South Africa‘s dramatic south coast, Fancourt Golf Resort is surrounded by mountains, forests and the Indian Ocean. There are three fantastic golf courses onsite. The Links is rated by All Square as the number one course in the whole of Africa. Montagu is rated as the fourth best in South Africa, while Outeniqua is rated the 22nd best. South African legend Gary Player cast his expert eye over all three designs. The three courses here represent an outstanding golf offering.
The resort has 133 luxury rooms and suites, fantastic family facilities, a luxurious spa, a Kids Club and various restaurants to guarantee your enjoyment. Stay & Play packages over a few days will let you play all three golf courses.
Sun City Resort
Situated on the outskirts of Pilansberg National Park, Sun City boats two brilliant golf courses. The Gary Player Country Club, ranked by All Square as the country’s third best course and the first to be constructed to USGA specifications, hosts the Nedbank Golf Challenge, one of the Rolex Series events on the European Tour and the penultimate event on the Race to Dubai. Player also designed The Lost City Course, superbly draped across parkland with mountain views, it even has resident crocodiles at the water-surrounded 13th green!
Sun City’s accommodation options include the three-star Cabanas hotel, the four-star Soho hotel, the five-star Cascades hotel as well as The Palace, an Incredible five-star Aztec style hotel with 338 luxurious rooms and suites. All are close to the resort’s buzzing Entertainment Centre, casinos, restaurants and attractions, including the Valley of Waves, a thrilling water park.
Zimbali Golf Resort
The Zimbali Country Club golf course combines a perfect mixture of immaculate rolling fairways through Zimbali’s indigenous forest, and scenic changes in elevation offering stunning views of the Dolphin Coast. Designed by Tom Weiskopf, it’s a superb and varied challenge for all skill levels.
The resort itself is an idyllic five-star retreat with a luxury feel and excellent service. The beachfront hotel features 154 guest rooms and suites, with a Penthouse and Presidential Suite, and 18 Fairmont Heritage Place villas, all easily accessible to local attractions.
Wild Coast Sun Country Club
The Wild Coast Sun Country Club is a challenging championship course along the beautiful Eastern Cape shore. This spectacular coastal layout, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., makes the most of the local geography with sensational ocean views, crisp fairways and immaculate greens. Waterfalls and rivers add to the challenge and make this course a true test of golf.
The course is part of the Wild Coast Resort and Casino complex set amid natural bush between two rivers overlooking the Indian Ocean. It’s a family-friendly resort that offers premium accommodation and leisure activities. Visitors can enjoy the luxurious 4-star hotel accommodation, with sea-facing and garden-facing rooms and suites. There’s also the Wild Waves Water Park, featuring some of the worlds best rides and water slide attractions.
Zebula Golf Resort
The Peter Matkovich-designed course is both challenging and accommodating and follows the natural contours of the local countryside. In the shadow of the Waterberg mountains, Zebula undulates with wide fairways lined with indigenous grasses and a variety of Bushveld trees. It’s enjoyable and playable for all levels of golfers.
The resort, a couple of hours north of Johannesburg, has many accommodation options catering to singles, couples, families, and groups. These options vary from 5-star lodges to self-contained 8-bedroom houses. Each stay is professionally tailored to suit each individual need. You can also visit the spectacular local reserve, and experience the incredible ‘Adventures with Elephants’.
