Yellow 6203 metres, CR72.8/127
White 5866 metres, CR71.0/123
Blue 5392 metres, CR68.8/114
Red 4945 metres, CR66.5/109
Women’s blue, CR74.3/132
Women’s red , CR71.7/124
R495 off-peak
R650 peak times
Mark Muller,
Golf Data 2000
021 553 2223
www.atlanticbeachlinks.com
68 (2022) & 69 (2021)
When The R&A first introduced International Final Qualifying venues for the Open Championship, their immediate choice in South Africa in 2004 was the new Atlantic Beach course at Melkbosstrand, 30 kilometres north from the Cape Town CBD. The linksy look of Atlantic Beach and the prevailing wind closely resembled the conditions you would expect to find at the Open. Today, Atlantic Beach is one of the country’s most successful golf estates, sold out with 867 homes, and the course retains that firm and fast links look.
Atlantic Beach, close to the ocean and Robben Island, has stunning views of Table Mountain, and offers a different golf experience to the other courses in the Western Cape. It has a rugged natural look, with the holes shaped and running in varied directions amidst indigenous Cape fynbos. The wind is usually a factor, but the layout has generously wide fairways. The greens are presented so they accept running shots into the pin, with swales and run-off areas. It is a wonderful winter venue in the Cape, with the sandy soil draining quickly after rain.
Improving the playability of the course has always been an uppermost consideration in terms of course management, and many of the original revetted-face bunkers have been modified for easier recovery shots, notably that known as “Hell Bunker” in the middle of the fairway on No 17.
The Atlantic Beach clubhouse has been converted into a lifestyle centre for estate residents, offering a bakery and coffee shop in the Milkwood Deli, the Sunbird restaurant and outside deck overlooking the 18th hole.
65 by David Frost, 2005 Open Qualifying
65 by Jack Buchanan, 2022 Atlantic Beach Open*
*He won with a 12-under total of 132
The opener at Atlantic Beach is a magnificent links hole, a daunting 404-metre par 4 where you tee off in front of the clubhouse. Australian Darius Oliver, in his book Planet Golf, rated it among his best 18 holes in the world. The left side of the fairway rises to a low sandy dune, and then falls away steeply into a valley before the green. Look out for some creative greens complexes, notably at the par-5 sixth which has two levels, a flat upper tier on the left, and a steeply sloping section on the right.
The Lodge at Atlantic Beach is a 20-room boutique hotel inside the estate and close to the clubhouse with a spa and leisure centre.
Driving range close to clubhouse with 250-metre carry and 40 bays, half of them under cover. Range membership available to outside golfers (R1 750 annual fee not including balls), but otherwise no public admittance. Home to EOGA Academy, which has an indoor putting studio, headed by Derik Ferreira
1/ The South African flag is proudly displayed on each of the 18 flagsticks.
2/ Foreign visitors love the estate’s tranquil surroundings, and magnificent herd of springbok on the course.
3/ Atlantic Beach is the only SA club with a GEO certificate for work fostering nature, using resources responsibly, and supporting the local community.
4/ International Final Qualifying for the Open Championship in Scotland was held at Atlantic Beach in 2004 (won by James Kingston) and 2005 (David Frost). The Sunshine Tour visited in 2001, Kingston winning on 3-under 213.
5/ On May 21, 2003, Atlantic Beach members Clive van Druten and Giles Buchanan had consecutive holes-in-one at the seventh (now 16th), both using 8-irons.
6/ Club member Simon Wiley in 2022 became the first golfer to ace the par-4 fifth hole. There have been numerous aces at Atlantic Beach, including six alone in July 2021. Alan Bland has had five since the course opened. Sunshine Tour player Luca Filippi was 11 when he aced No 14 in 2011.
2022 Greg Woodbridge & Candice Woodbridge*
2021 Willie Olivier & Ashleigh Mills
2020 No championship
2019 Jack Buchanan (age 14) & Ashleigh Mills
*Husband and wife champions
Conditioning Ratings
Facility Ratings
Atlantic Beach continues to improve its overall conditioning. Most of the previously bare fairways have been replanted with kikuyu. The greenside bunkers at No 12 have been reshaped by taking the steep faces away and grassing them, giving the hole more of a linksy feel. Evidently the bunker on the right side of the 17th fairway will be removed. Plus the ninth fairway bunker as it serves no value. The greens are slow but smooth. They only cut them on Mondays and Fridays in winter.
Atlantic Beach is one of the unsung gems among coastal courses in South Africa. It is 20 years since it opened and the more I play it the more I appreciate how uniquely interesting and challenging this layout has become. It has so many of the characteristics of a true links, with a fabulous variety of holes. It is unconventional compared to all the other Cape layouts -- designer Mark Muller was creative with his terrific greens complexes -- and this to me makes it so much fun to play in the right conditions. The current conditioning is excellent.
An awesome layout, challenge, aesthetics.
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