Lost City

The second course at Sun City is a highly creative and varied design, very different from the Gary Player CC due to its setting in a smaller valley between two rocky hills. It’s more undulating and Player has used the slopes of the hills for stark green designs and elevated tee boxes. It deliberately invokes an arid, almost desert look in terms of its bunkering and vegetation compared to the lush grassy expanse of the older GPCC.

At times the bushveld atmosphere makes it feel as if you are in an actual game reserve, rather than surrounded by the fences of one. It’s rough terrain off the fairways, and there’s a large crocodile pit adjoining the famous par-3 13th hole. This is a green at which to linger and admire these magnificent reptiles lazing in a natural enclosure whose steep vertical walls prop up the edge of the putting surface.

The green is shaped to represent Africa, and No 13 is played from a high tee on the hillside so you have a good view of the crocodile compound to the left of the green. It gobbles up golf balls, and there have been foolish golfers who have leapt into the pit to play their balls, including once in a tournament. The pro was subsequently disqualified.

A unique African-style clubhouse, stunning in its ancient-looking architecture, stands sentinel over the ninth and 18th greens. The two closing holes on each nine run parallel to each other, separated by a broad expanse of water, the ninth a long par 4, and 18 a risk-and-reward par 5.

While the GPCC is conveniently located for resort guests, who can walk from their hotel rooms to the first tee, transport is required to reach the Lost City in another valley of the Pilanesberg. And the Lost City is a compulsory cart course for an improved pace of play. There are some long walks from green to tee on the back nine.