Yellow 6166 metres, CR73.0/130
White 5865 metres, CR71.2/127
Blue 5566 metres, CR69.8/123
Red 5157 metres, CR67.5/118
Green 4477 metres, CR63.9/104
Women’s white, CR77.8/134
Women’s blue, CR75.6/128
Women’s red, CR73.1/126
Women’s green, CR68.3/114
Peak season (Dec 15-Jan 15) R695
High season (Oct-April) R665
Low season (May-Sept) R565
Golf carts R350
Charles Molteno Murray 1931
044 873 6116
www.georgegolfclub.co.za
18 (2023), 15 (2022) & 14 (2021)
George has long been regarded as one of the most delightful parkland courses in South Africa. It was in the Top 10 of the very first Golf Digest rankings in 1998, and has held its own since despite the plethora of great layouts built over the last 20 years.
Its reputation comes from being a wonderful walk along attractive leafy fairways; having an interesting variety of holes on gently undulating terrain; the enjoyment of its challenges for a diverse range of handicaps; and conditioning of a consistently high quality. Plus the majestic backdrop of the Outeniqua mountain range. It is one of the busiest and most popular courses in the Garden Route region which includes seven of the top 25 courses in South Africa.
George have done well with numerous upgrades to the property in 2021, further consolidating the club’s status as one of the best golf experiences in the Garden Route. There’s a new fence bordering the eighth and ninth holes on the main road. Passing motorists get a better glimpse of the course and the main dam. New cart paths and extensions have been built on several holes. There are new toilets on the course, one on each nine. And 120 solar panels have been installed as a cost saving on the electricity bill.
George was for many years the only golf course in the city, and now there are five. Visitors to the nearby Fancourt resort quickly discover that George GC is one of this country’s gems, and refer to it as “The Old Course.”
A feature of George is the vast dam around which the first, 17th and 18th holes are played. It’s more a scenic feature rather than a serious hazard. Other than for a wild hook off 18, the water only comes into play left of the fairway on No 1, a superb risk-and-reward par-4 opener. The single-storey clubhouse has a wonderful outlook over the exceptional 18th hole.
63 by member Jovan Rebula at age 15 in October 2012. He had 28 on the back nine with eagles at 11 and 14.
George has an unusual setup of holes on each nine. The front nine has 7 par 4s, one par 5 and one par 3, while the back nine has three of each. Three of the par 3s come in the last six holes. The finishing stretch from 16 to 18 features three of the best holes on the course, a dogleg par 5, long par 3, and a magnificent long par 4 playing towards the mountains. The last two holes, plus the first, a risk-and-reward short par 4, skirt around a large dam built in the 1990s.
The Marriott King George hotel fronts on to the par-5 11th hole.
George is restricted to a short-game area next to the ninth green, and at halfway house.
2023 Juan Barnard & Isabelle Ferreira
2022 Ivan Williams & Sandra Winter
2021 Nicholas Mitchell & Chloe Malgas
2020 Meyer Potgieter & Sandra Winter
2019 Ivan Williams & Sandra Winter
*Mitchell has been club champion 8 times.
1/ The club was founded in 1906, and the current course created in the 1930s by Charles Molteno Murray, who without any machinery had to design around the natural flow of the land.
2/ GM Sandra Lennox in 2017 made history by becoming the first female to be named Club Manager of the Year by CMASA. She began as a bookkeeper at George GC in 2001, and became manager in 2010.
3/ George has held numerous men’s and women’s amateur tournaments, including several national championships, the most recent being the 2016 men’s SA Amateur.
4/ Three generations of the Mitchell family have been famous club members. Hunter Mitchell was club captain and president, his son John won 11 club championships (1967-84), and grandson Nic seven club titles (2009-2017). The late John Mitchell won the Cape Province Open five consecutive years from 1974-78.
5/ George is a very social and busy club, a hub of the local community, noted for its affordability in terms of member fees. The annual subscription and associated fees for full membership is R8 014 (R4 196 for ages 26-35).
6/ George adjoins another Top 100 course, Kingswood.
Conditioning RatingsFacility RatingsAn old traditional course. Position is a key word when playing George. The course is in great condition year round and an absolute must play when in the Southern Cape. One's tee shot position should be carefully selected in order to play the best second into each green. A true test and the ability to play all shots is a huge advantage. George calls for the ability to hit the ball left to right, right to left, high or low. Greens generally fast so a steady putting stroke is key.
Enough in it to challenge a single-figure handicap, but offers hope for the higher-handicap to keep coming back. Immaculate condition. Friendly locals.
I have been a club member since 1996 and have seen it improve every year to what it is today. A classic parkland layout that offers a challenge for the low-handicap and a memorable round for the social golfer. Every hole offers its individual beauty and challenge. We regard George as the best members club in South Africa where we treat our visitors as members.
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