Champagne Sports Resort

Course rated No 20, greens No 1. My experience was different, greens like concrete, ball bouncing higher than the flag. Course staff more concerned about selling balls than switching off sprayers on tee boxes so players can tee off. There are better courses that can replace CSR at No 20.

Peter Brummer

27 August 2024

The putting surfaces at CSR are some of the best you can currently play. True consistent roll. General conditioning is excellent despite onset of winter. The signature fourth (par 3) is a memorable hole. No 10 is a risk-reward 4, driveable but perilous. The closing stretch 15-18 is a highlight. No 15 (par 5) is beautifully framed, while No 17 defends itself against a long drive with a waste area about 150 from the green. No 18 is a tricky dogleg left, leaving an uphill approach to a sloping green fronted by water. Bunkers are playable, though in some the sand consistency was problematic. Champagne may be a resort course but has matured into a true test of shot making, particularly off the back tees. Mature trees punish errant shots. The course leaves you wanting to play another 9 or 18, testament to the enjoyment factor and quality of a course which has broken into the Top 20. The clubhouse patio is on my "best of SA Golf" list, a spectacular setting to relax after round.

Jon James

19 June 2024

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Beautiful and testing layout, the front nine more so, designed among hills and dips, resulting in numerous elevation changes. Accuracy and positioning off the tee is key as large, mainly oak, trees line the fairways punishing errant shots. Most of the rough allows for finding balls and playing recovery shots. Water only genuinely features on a handful of holes. Thick rough and riverside thicket swallow wayward shots on a few others. The early and later holes are the most challenging and memorable, with the less exciting, yet still testing, middle holes broken up by the risk/reward driving challenge of the "shortish" par-4 10th. Conditioning was good (tees & fairways), to very good (greens), and the course reasonably well manicured. Greens provide a good putting test with a mix of subtle and severe gradient, particularly when firm and cut. Bunker sand could do with renewal, but they were, despite recent rain, a fair test for a hazard. Unfortunately walking the course isn't practically possible given elevation changes, distances from greens to tee, and cart-field pace of play. Disappointingly for an "unwalkable" resort course, cart hire, particularly for singles, almost doubles the cost of playing a round for resort residents.

Rory Cadle

25 April 2024

You could describe Champagne Sports Resort as the Pinnacle Point of the Drakensberg in terms of beautiful scenery and spectacular holes. I thought Highland Gate was scenic, but not on this level. The river rushing through and around the course raises the bar, as do holes like the downhill second, and other interesting par 4s such as 10, 11, 14, 17 and 18. The uphill third was not to my liking other than the two-level green, but waiting at the top of the hill was the fabulous par-3 fourth with its own magnificent theatre. Not too difficult to find the wide green, but there's a vast expanse of water to carry first. It set the tone for the rest of the round. And how can anyone not resist a cold drink on the outside deck at the end of the round, viewing majestic holes from a high platform.

Dieter ten Haag

17 March 2024

Undoubtedly one of SA's most spectacular layouts in the foothills of the Drakensberg. Scenery is breathtaking and the course a true test. Feature holes are spread throughout the 18. For me the par-3 fourth stands out. An elevated tee shot over water to the green with a mountain backdrop. The two parallel par 5s on the back nine (13 and 15) are also beautifully framed by the mountains which are your target-line along tree-lined fairways. The 15th is a great risk-reward hole where a dam has to be carried if going for the green in two. Behind the green is a small waterfall which contributes to the overall serenity.

Trevor King

31 January 2024

Fantastic views from this attractive Drakensberg course, but we found the greens very slow.

Annie Wei

02 January 2024

One of SA's most beautiful courses and its idyllic setting in the Berg is why many include Champagne Sports Resort on their annual holiday roster. A course with excellent design variety where you will be challenged by forced carries and narrow landing areas on tree-lined fairways. The signature par-3 fourth over water is a nerve tester early in the round. The par 5s offer scoring opportunities but require accurate tee shots to narrow fairways. The finishing stretch from the par-4 14th (stroke 2) to par-4 18th (stroke 6) will test your mettle. The 16th is the longest par 3 at 180 metres from the club tees. The greens are in superb shape and rolling true. Friendly service and one of the best clubhouse decks complete the picture.

Jon James

11 October 2023

The first week of spring and it's an annual ritual for Champagne Sports to close their course for 5-6 days and allow greenkeeper Trevor Livesey and his staff to complete their spring treatment and other course and cart path projects without any disturbance. I played on Sunday morning, and by the middle of the day hollow-tining of the greens had begun. This week-long closure is a good idea and preferable to a quick re-opening on greens that are simply not playable. Busy courses particularly need a rest from the stresses of daily traffic.

Stuart McLean

06 September 2023

A course I could play every week. The scenery is spectacular and the layout not far behind. The par-3 fourth hole cannot be played without a photo being taken. The scenery from the clubhouse veranda overlooking the course and the Drakensberg mountains will impress golfers and non-golfers alike.

Jaco Ackermann

02 August 2023

Champagne Sports is a course I never tire of playing, and I would classify it as one of the 10 best bucket-list venues in South Africa. Remotely situated, like most bucket-listers, with nothing else to play in the Drakensberg neighbourhood. Beautiful holes, challenging holes, stunning aesthetics, and greens which I rate highly in both their design and conditioning. Pure bent greens with no poa thanks to a special "muti" from South Korea discovered years ago by greenkeeper Trevor Livesey. Fabulous destination for a midweek golf tour most of the year, because the course is relatively quiet from Monday to Friday. CSR is a constant test of a golfer's ability with driver off the tee. Find the fairway and you will likely score well. The par 5s are strong, although the riskiest (No 15) is the shortest (464). A lengthy flat green sits in a hollow adjoining a water hazard. The trees and plants around it conjure up an image befitting Augusta National.

Stuart McLean

31 March 2023

I wasn't impressed by the layout and feel Champagne Sports is overrated on my experience. No doubt there are some fabulous holes (both nines open and close with great holes), however others I found lacking. Perhaps the routing could have been better. We were often going back and forth along the same line. What did leave a sour note -- we teed off at 7.30 on a Tuesday -- was that the greens were uncut (and subsequently full of dew) and bunkers unraked during our round. There is no excuse for not cutting the greens. I'd heard rave reviews about the conditioning but for me this was not the case. The fairways were not the purest of kikuyu. This is a championship course and it was testing. However, branches need to be trimmed back on tee shots as I had to hit low shots to avoid them. I'd like another round to change my perception.

Jean-Luc Regaud

13 March 2023

The current conditioning and presentation is excellent following some decent rainfall. The greens are running true and the tees, fairways and bunkers all in good shape. The design variety of all 18 holes at Champagne Sports remains a highlight and this is a memorable and delightful resort course to play even with plenty of visitors during the summer holidays. From risk-reward par 4s (driveable holes like the third and 10th) to the long stroke 1 par 4 eighth, the course presents opportunity and challenges aplenty. The tree-lined fairways demand accuracy off the tee and errant driving is often punished. I particularly enjoy the fourth (par 3 signature hole), the par-5 15th and par-4 18th. The service is of a high standard and the views from the clubhouse patio among the best in South African golf.

Jon James

06 January 2022

After a few rounds at Champagne Sports the past year I have to conclude it's one of those rare courses where I cannot name a weak hole. Every one of them has strong design features. And the balance of the layout is just about perfect. Good tee shots are required throughout the round, and if you're driving straight and long you can score low because the par 5s are within range for two. And there are three par 4s where the green can be driven, one surprisingly being the fabulous downhill dogleg second (409 metres from the club tees) where a big drive on the tiger line can run down the hill to the putting surface (Mark Anders take a bow). Another downhiller through a chute of trees is the ninth. There have been two holes-in-one on the 304-metre 10th, which is among my favourite short par 4s.

Stuart McLean

21 November 2021

The Central Drakensberg course is dry after a spell of hot weather and lack of rain, yet it remains a pleasure to play with the fairways firm and the ball running off the tee shots. It makes a challenging course (extremely well bunkered) that much easier on which to score. The greens, as usual, are magnificent. The maintenance staff have been busy thinning out trees in places where needed (there are nearly 800 framing the holes on this parkland layout), opening up the views. The resort recently hosted the Nomads Nationals, and there were many participants who expressed a wish to return as soon as possible for another.

Stuart McLean

21 November 2021

This is a special time of year to be playing golf in the KZN Drakensberg and no better place to unwind for a long weekend break than this wonderful resort. Many of the trees at Champagne Sports are changing colour as autumn arrives, so the course is looking particularly beautiful. The air is crisper. There was a thunderstorm during the night before my round, followed by heavy rain. But the course drains well and was eminently playable other than water in some bunkers. The Drakensberg region, like most of South Africa, has had vast quantities of rain this summer, and Champagne Sports has benefitted from it in terms of conditioning. The greens are superb as always.

Thomas Souness

30 April 2021

The Drakensberg rains over December and January, together with the knowledge of (greenkeeper) Trevor Livesey, has left this course in excellent condition.

Kogin Naicker

14 February 2021

A firm favourite of mine. The fairways are tight with established trees playing a huge role, water is an occasional factor, and length is required off the tee most of the time. Great par 3s are the standout, but I enjoy all the holes equally.

Chris Wood

16 January 2021

Big greens, big bunkers, big landscape. Everything is on a large scale at Champagne Sports Resort, one of South Africa's lesser known top courses due to its remoteness in the Central Drakensberg. With so many tree-lined fairways, doglegs, and cleverly positioned bunkers it's more championship layout than gentle resort experience, yet there is a friendly side to it that the average golfer will enjoy as much as the low-handicap. The vast greens are impressive, both in their magnificent design and quality of surface. Pin positions abound and the greens complexes offer plenty of entertainment. No impossible putts, just fun for chipping and putting. The clubhouse setting is spectacular, hard to beat for the views and outdoor ambience.

Stuart McLean

29 November 2020

Central Drakensberg - KwaZulu-Natal

Course Summary

Four tees / Par 72

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