CCJ Rocklands

CCJ are constantly looking to enhance the playability and conditioning of the Rocklands course. It is beautifully presented with the white sand bunkers. Bunkers are consistent which is important given the many high faces. Putting surfaces excellent. Scoring opportunities are presented on the four par 5s which are reachable in two for club golfers. Three of them (7-12-13) play under 500m from the white tees. In contrast, the par 3s are a challenge, frequently requiring a long iron. The finishing stretch from 14 to 18 is fun to play with its mix of risk-reward and strong holes. No 16 is demanding off the tee. Aiming too far left brings the water hazard into play. No 18 requires an accurate drive and approach to a raised target.

Jon James

03 February 2024

Rocklands is defined by strong par 3s which I'm pleased to see are stroked accordingly, the fourth (181 off white) being stroke 10, the sixth (194) stroke 4, 15 (155) stroke 13, and 17 (173) stroke 9. Club golfers will appreciate that because with their tricky greens these are not easy holes to par. The uphill sixth at Rocklands, to a large undulating green, could be the lowest stroked par 3 in SA? While there is a trend at some clubs to automatically make their par 3s high strokes, Gauteng clubs generally show much more discernment. Many par 3s in the region are stroked in single figures.

Richard O'Dwyer

16 August 2023

The Rocklands greens get so quick at this time of year they have to be slowed down with less frequent mowing and wetting agents otherwise they would be stimping at 13 or more. Pins on slopes tend to be awkward if you're putting to them from downhill or sidehill. Most greens are fine yet that on No 8, an attractive 402-metre dogleg left par 4, is an awkward design with its false front being part of the putting surface. And that's where they placed the pin! New white bunker sand is now a feature of the rebuilt Rocklands traps, and they look beautiful. But the average golfer will struggle to flush recovery shots from fairway bunkers owing to the powdery sand.

Stuart McLean

30 July 2023

What a world class course and experience. After playing both a practice round and a tournament at Rocklands the conditioning on both occasions was impressive (greens slower during the non-tournament round). My favourite clubhouse and 19th hole. My mouth waters entering the clubhouse as the food is always great!

Dijon Tintinger

06 July 2023

Rocklands might be unfairly outshone by sibling Woodmead yet presents great parkland golf. Some challenging lines off the tee benefit from local knowledge, particularly as fairways can play hard and fast. Locals often advise playing short of the green knowing the ball will run up (par-3 fourth).

Hamish Houston

11 January 2023

The extensive bunker renovation project on the Rocklands is almost complete, with just those on two holes (11 and 14) still to be done on the day I played. The bunkers, with their white sand, are a major feature of this championship layout, positioned perfectly on most holes to catch the unwary. With firm fairways following on from winter there's every chance of a tee shot running further than expected and the ball ending in a sandy lie. This happened to us on the par-4 fifth where the fairway cambers steeply towards the large fairway bunker on the right. For a 354-metre hole (white tees) it plays short, as the bunker is less than 100 from the green. This is a fun hole sandwiched between two of Gauteng's more challenging par 3s. The fourth (181 from white) has a long green wrapped by large areas of sand, while the sixth (194) is uphill to an elevated and sloping green, fronted by a bunker left. The other par 3s come later in the round, at 15 and 17, and may be shorter yet have testing greens complexes. They are as fine a quartet as you will find, and I like the fact they are given relatively low strokes, 10-4-13-9 in that order. Too many clubs demote their par 3s to higher strokes. Strokes 16, 17 and 18 have all been allocated to par 5s.

Stuart McLean

12 October 2022

CCJ is a superb facility with two excellent courses. The Rocklands has undergone a significant transformation in recent years and presents a strong challenge off the tee. The greens complexes are superb, with interesting slopes testing approaches and putting lines. The par 5s are reachable in two during the winter months as tee shots enjoy favourable run leaving a second shot of about 200-230m into the greens. These are generally receptive and run true. Nos 5 and 6 are two particularly interesting holes. The fifth is a short dogleg right par 4 which demands an accurate second over a stream to a well-guarded green. The par-3 sixth is an uphill brute playing around 195m. The back nine asks for some demanding tee shots, particularly on the par-4 16th to avoid both water and bunkers. CCJ is fortunate to have one of the best clubhouses and halfway houses. Service is impeccable, and options unrivalled.

Jon James

04 July 2022

A pleasure to play Rocklands in such lovely condition. I had expected dry highveld winter conditions but the course was lush, green and even damp in parts. Greens were top notch and quick. I am hard put to think of a course with a more challenging set of par 3s. None of them are easy pars let alone obvious 2 club opportunities.

Hamish Houston

10 June 2022

Rocklands is my course of choice at CCJ. Very different from the Woodmead and more interesting, although they are on a par in terms of the challenge. Enjoy the bushveld look, which makes it unusual for Gauteng. Yet it has the immaculate presentation of a pristine parkland layout. There's a good balance between the four different tee options, spaced out at roughly 500 metres each. Yellow is best left for long hitters, white is a strong challenge, while blue will have you playing more short irons. Wonderful variety of par 4s, uphill and downhill, some tough ones among them, coupled with superb greens, and the par 3s are fabulous. If there's a weakness it lies in the par 5s. None offers sight of the hole further than the tee shot. The lengthy third is superb, a fairway framed by tall trees, then a sharp dogleg right downhill to the green, but 12 and 13 are humdrum, particularly 13 where the second shot is blind. The sunken green comes into view late. After that comes an excellent finishing stretch of 4s and 3s.

Dieter ten Haag

12 April 2022

Greens were slow, they probably need to be rolled. Always difficult to hit a putt firmly when the surface looks so good but runs slow. Fairways in good nick, tee boxes immaculate and bunkers very well maintained. The clubhouse and its halfway house are in a league of their own! Rocklands is a very fair course where you can look at going low and maybe even post a PB, if the challenging par 3s don't get in the way.

Graham Jones

30 January 2022

While considered the second of the two courses at CCJ, many members choose to book Rocklands before Woodmead as it has some of the best vistas over Johannesburg, a great set of par 3s (collectively tougher than the Woodmead), and has more than kept up in conditioning. The bunkering is what brings the course down in some scenarios, with steep faces leading to shallow entry points, balls often running down to the front. Rocklands is a course that can give you a good score one day and punish you the next. A change in wind direction makes it play very differently.

Chris Wood

15 January 2021

Rocklands is in amazing condition. Always seen as the second course to Woodmead at Country Club. Having played both courses in the past two weeks, Rocklands is in better condition. Greens rolling fast and true, fairways and second cut immaculate. Bunkers in great condition.

David Frost

12 January 2021

An enjoyable members course, fair and challenging, the par 3s particularly so. Aesthetics are excellent with views of Rivonia and the Sandton skyline pleasing to the eye. Quiet, tranquil surroundings add to the experience.

Terry Knight

30 December 2020

One of the most improved courses in Gauteng, and CCJ have succeeded brilliantly in raising the Rocklands to the same level of quality as the older Woodmead layout. You expect that perfection at one of the country's premier clubs.

Stuart McLean

27 February 2020

Sandton - Gauteng

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