Yellow 6737 metres, CR74.4/139
White 6374 metres, CR72.6/135
Blue 5720 metres, CR69.0/126
Red 5235 metres, CR66.3/117
Women’s blue, CR75.1/141
Women’s red, CR72.2/135
Affiliated R280 Wednesday & Friday;
R250 other weekdays including halfway
R380 weekends
Non-affiliated R350 weekdays & R480 weekends
Arthur Tomsett 1939,
Hugh Baiocchi 1990
011 608 2033
WhatsApp: 079 459 1773
55 (2022) & 58 (2021)
There are many distinctive and challenging holes at Modderfontein, one of the most centrally situated courses in Gauteng. The strength of the layout lies principally in its redesigned back nine. This was the work of the club’s most famous member, Hugh Baiocchi, during his brief course design years.
The club was originally known as the Modderfontein Dynamite Factory Club. The course was officially opened in February 1939 with Bobby Locke as the celebrity guest.
The parkland course is set in a valley overlooked by the clubhouse, and the sloping land makes for some pleasant undulating holes. A stream runs through the course and comes into play on several holes, notably the excellent par-4 18th. Water hazards are a feature of the splendid back nine, starting at the attractive downhill 12th. The Gautrain passes behind the 13th green, and this is the start of a wonderful run of holes back to the clubhouse. The 14th is the last of the par 3s, with a stream curling around the green, and that’s followed by the most intimidating hole on the course, a 453-metre par 4 with water down the right of the fairway. It’s one of the best risk-reward long par 4s in Gauteng.
Modderfontein is one of only four Top 100 courses where the starting hole on each nine, Nos 1 and 10, with tee boxes closest to the clubhouse, is a par 5. Two of the others are also Gauteng courses – Benoni CC and Wanderers, while Umdoni Park on the KZN South Coast is the only coastal example. However, there are two other courses, Blair Atholl (Gauteng) and Olivewood (Eastern Cape) where Nos 1 and 10 are both par 5s, but the tenth hole is nowhere near the clubhouse and is not used as a starting hole.
61 by Mike de Villiers (twice)
62, Christiaan Burke, in winning Big Easy IGT event in June 2021. Played front nine in 29.
Full-size range, short-game facility and putting green.
2023 Blaine Macer & Daisy Daniels
2022 Cody Holwill & Bongi Mokaba
2021 F G Dorfling & Ilze-Mari Kriek
2020 Greg de Villiers & Peachy Swarts
2019 Kevin Sharp & Peachy Swarts
1/ Modderfontein hosted its first SA Amateur with the 2024 women’s championships. Kyra van Kan (Silver Lakes) won the 54-hole Strokeplay title on 8-under 208, including a second round 67. Gia Raad (CCJ) won the matchplay. Modderfontein hosted Joburg Ladies Open in 2018, won by Ashleigh Buhai on 208, and again in 2022, won by Swede Linn Grant on 208.
2/ Mike de Villiers, PGA Club Pro of the Year in 2010, was head professional at Modderfontein for 46 years before leaving in 2022. He grew up in the area with great friend Hugh Baiocchi, becoming the club pro in 1976 at age 22 under then club GM Johnny Baiocchi. A leading teacher, he helped prepare Hugh Baiocchi in the mid-1990s for his successful career on the US Senior Tour.
3/ Another celebrated member was Steve Williams, one of SA’s best amateurs who emigrated to New Zealand. He represented South Africa in his 40s, and won the SA Senior Open and Senior Amateur. In 2006 he won the 72-hole Northern Amateur at Modderfontein.
4/ Modderfontein hosted the men’s Northern Amateur six times from 2002 to 2008. The 2007 strokeplay champion was Attie Schwartzel, which meant three members of the Schwartzel family won that trophy, father George in 1985 at Irene, and older brother Charl at Randpark in 2001.
Conditioning Ratings
Facility Ratings
An enjoyable course, although it has a few weak holes, notably the first. The front nine includes some good traditional 90 degree dogleg par 4s which is uncommon in Johannesburg. This gets you thinking strategy from tee to green The back nine is challenging and has some great holes which test every facet of your game, particularly 12 and 15, both well designed and championship level par 4s. The greens were in very good condition and running true to line with fair speed. The clubhouse and halfway house are dated and could use a revamp but the new Green Bar is a good inclusion with a great view of the course.
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