Gary Player CC

Course in good condition considering it is the dry season and greens had been hollowtined six weeks earlier. Greens very good and speedy due to preparation for the Sunshine Tour's SunBet Challenge the first week of June. Although the fairways were reasonably receptive for high shots, anything off the short grass would bounce hard and disappear into the bush if offline. The lack of a range facility for warming up made the first few swings nerve-wracking, but the knowledgeable caddies soon settled us down.

Willem van der Merwe

15 June 2024

Visiting Sun City was our golf school's Worst Golf Experience in the last 10 years. Service levels shocking. A cart was booked a week in advance for a member of our group who had a medical condition. No carts available on arrival. We waited 45 minutes for one, and when it arrived the batteries were not charged. We then waited 40 minutes on the first tee, groups arguing with the marshal, trying to obtain tee times. We waited 35 minutes at halfway to receive food and drinks. The end result, we finished in the dark. Course in average condition but experience and service levels 1/10. Will never play this top 20 course again.

Chris Kriel

20 May 2024

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Great course but having somewhere to hit balls close to the first tee before the round would be helpful. This is a big resort facility, and I'm surprised nothing has been done about that. The only range is at the Lost City Course, and you cannot walk there and back from Gary Player CC.

Jos

13 March 2024

Golf at Sun City remains a good but tough experience, particularly at the GPCC. Compared to my previous visit when the rough was overly deep and punitive, this time it was still tough but fair. However, the greens were running too slow to properly exhibit their normal difficult character.

Mark Lynam

05 February 2024

The condition of the course had deteriorated since the Nedbank Golf Challenge in November. Although the greens were true, they were slower than expected. Layout and design variety is among the best in South Africa. However, the buildup to the 18th hole was disappointing from the perspective of the approach to the green. Without grandstands in place, as during the NGC, the green is lost with no backdrop. For general play a design feature to provide more definition to the 18th green might be considered which will not impact on the NGC infrastructure. Walking the course with a caddie added positively to the overall experience.

Lihan van der Merwe

22 January 2024

A year ago, GPCC was in the best shape I had seen it in a long time. So, returning there this December, I had expectations. However, the practice greens didn’t suggest standards were the same. In fairness though, I knew the course had suffered since the Nedbank Challenge. However, having driven over the awful speed humps on the road to Sun City, I was hoping for something worth the price of the green fee and the drive. Unfortunately, the course was not close to how I had found it in 2022. Fairways and greens are struggling, the greens so slow that it didn't seem worth putting. Even knowing how slow they were, it was difficult to get putts to the pin. The fairways were uneven and felt like the first cut. Not much run. Arriving on the 14th tee left me aghast. All the sprinklers were turned on. We had to detour around the bridge as one sprinkler, either broken or not rotating, was trained at it. The fairway was drenched with the non-rotating sprinklers forming puddles. On No 14 green a sprinkler drenched the back of the green and the water was streaming towards the bunker. While I accept this is an automated process, it reflects a lack of care. The level of service seems to have been downgraded at arrival and halfway house. It improved at the end with drinks. I love this course and each year I swear I would never return due to the R556 road to the resort, but the course has always been the attraction. I hope my latest experience was an anomaly and it will return to its super self. Please!

Sabelo Ndabazandile

17 December 2023

Having hosted the Nedbank Challenge the course is back to the levels you expect of this championship layout. Playing off the Burgundy / Pro tees is something to test yourself, yet not for the faint of heart as many forced carries are more than 250m. If your driver is off it will be a long day. Demanding tee shots are just the start of the challenges, as you are also faced with clever pin placements and slick putting surfaces. The bunkers, a long-time blight, have improved significantly and are well maintained. The par 4s are strong with No 8 (stroke 1) a most difficult challenge, along with No 17 with water left and bunkers right. Finishing on the iconic 18th is special. With grandstands still in place you have an opportunity to feel like a pro while trying not to land your approach shot in the stands!

Jon James

12 December 2023

Midweek in May is a good time to escape to Sun City for a break and play the GPCC when the resort is relatively quiet. Just the sound of birds (mostly Go-Away) disturbs the silence once away from the clubhouse. The tranquillity of playing golf here in such a peaceful environment is not often remarked upon. There was one group of 12 golfers, but otherwise just a few scattered fourballs, and two of us were round in four hours. The weather was pleasant and the course outstanding. Greens slower than usual though, yet an acceptable speed. The kikuyu fairways are wonderful to play from, and the quality of the bunker sand exceptional. Rough is still thick in places, but this is a highly playable layout from tee to green. Best to check on hollow-tining practices at Sun City this time of year; the Lost City greens were recently done and aren't fun to play right now.

Stuart McLean

18 May 2023

One of the best courses I have played. Always in amazing condition. It’s a long round though without a cart. Only disappointment is that you have to drive to the Lost City Course for use of the range facility.

Martin Donald

07 February 2023

Played this great layout in the middle of winter and was impressed with the level of conditioning. The bunkers have improved to a level expected from a course of this stature. The iconic par-5 ninth hole never disappoints.

Trevor King

27 December 2022

The Gary Player course was looking beautifully green but sadly the greens themselves were bumpy and slow. Perhaps due to the Nedbank Challenge last month?

Sabelo

21 December 2022

Golfers were using persimmon woods, hitting a small 1.62-inch golf ball, and had metal spikes in their golf shoes, when the Gary Player CC first opened for play. It will be 50 years old towards the end of this decade, and even after all that time the course remains a wonderful challenge to all levels of golfers. When the course again hosts the Nedbank Challenge from November 10-13 it will be the 40th playing of Africa's "Major."

Jaco Ackermann

04 August 2022

Gary Player CC provides a good day out during the winter months. The greens remain in good shape. The Achilles heel of the course is the bunkers, which are still problematic, albeit worth noting there have been improvements. Work needs to be done before the return of the Nedbank Challenge in November. The fairways are decent and the overall presentation is trending back to the level expected of a former No 1 course. The par 4s are varied in length, with Nos 8 and 17 two of my favourites. Also something special about playing your approach on 18 where the back right pin is a reminder of the iconic Sunday flag position at the NGC. The tournament's return will attract many fans, and hopefully they will see this bushveld gem back to its best. It needs TLC and refinement to recapture the "wow factor." Attention by Sun City to improving the overall golfing experience would go a long way to bringing it up to the standard received at other Top 20 courses.

Jon James

02 July 2022

One of my favourite courses. Played off the back tees as a championship layout it has all the credentials which has made it a global standout for many years. Last year I played it in pleasant autumn conditions. Fairways were in great condition and the greens receptive. I love the shots required around this course and the variety of tee and flag positions. Happy to drive a couple of hours to Sun City any day of the week to play here.

Chris Wood

26 January 2022

As with any Top 10 course the moment you step on to the first tee you know you are in for a special day at Gary Player CC. It continues to live up to its reputation, a true challenge in phenomenal condition. Playing off the back tees is an extremely different experience. The par 3s become so much trickier and you have to reconsider your plan on the longer par 4s. I would recommend doing it to get a taste of what the professionals experience during the Nedbank Challenge. I left extremely satisfied with a day well spent on one of our finest.

Craig Gunther

25 June 2021

A true championship course that requires your A game to score close to your handicap. Each hole demands the correct placement of drive and approach shot in order to make it a playable par for most golfers. On undulating and generally fast greens two putts can be very satisfying! However, thick Kikuyu grass surrounding the greens can prove to be more than an average challenge to get up and down.

Roy Jones

18 April 2021

The Gary Player CC is always a challenge and a treat to play. The greens were running very true. The course demands accuracy and one drawback is the height of the rough around the greens and in close proximity to many fairways. In many instances you have no shot from the run-off areas and fringes. The bunkers remain a challenge, but the consistency does appear to be improving with most adequately raked and playable. The high rainfall this year has kept the course lush, with the fairways very good. The presentation and memorability factor remains high, with the walk around iconic golf holes being one for the personal memory bank.

Jon James

16 April 2021

Disappointing experience for our fourball on March 30 and 31. The greens had been hollow-tined the week before. They were slow (about 7 to 7.5 on the stimp) and bumpy, the worst greens I have played for years. Considering the distance visitors must travel to play the Sun City courses I feel (having supplied all our contact details) that we should have been pre-warned. Many of the bunkers had also not been raked, not merely that day but quite evidently for several days. Sad to see this otherwise lovely course somewhat neglected.

Alan Hawkins

14 April 2021

Sun City remains the top course in the country for me. There are simply no weak holes and from the back tees it is a severe test. The greens are immaculate, the fairways pristine (even in the drier winter months when the course now benefits from sufficient irrigation) and the aesthetics are classic for an African experience. The more you play here the more you come to appreciate it. My recommendation would be not to play from the club/resort tees as they shorten the course too much, even for a higher handicap. It is a championship course and the rating is adjusted in line. Even if it does play longer for most golfers, that's part of the challenge.

Chris Wood

14 January 2021

Impeccable service by professional staff as always. Golf course in good condition; just needs the first rainfall of the season.

Warren Kyle

01 October 2020

Having attended the 2019 Nedbank Challenge I was pleased to see that the conditioning and upkeep had been maintained and in some cases improved on the day we played. The greens were superb, which we have come to expect. Service, caddies and overall value of the day remains in the Top 10. Once you have finished on 18 you want to play it again. In fact, one of our group did play another 9.

Jon James

17 March 2020

Sun City - North West Province

Course Summary

Four tees / Par 72

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