Royal Johannesburg (East)

The East Course is in superb condition following the club's hosting of the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December and the recent Africa Amateur. Plenty of work went into raising the standard of the course for those prestige tournaments, and members are now benefitting from it. The fairways are tight and demanding. The greens are running superbly. Clubhouse service is great and our new CEO is making changes for the better.

Michael Bellora

12 February 2026

The Africa Amateur was hosted by Royal for the first time, and the "championship" East Course proved an inadequate challenge for SA's best amateurs. Not only did the winner, 21-year-old Jack Buchanan, post 21-under-par for 72 holes, but the runner-up, Dewan de Bruin, shattered the course record -- by three shots -- with a final round 12-under 60! Ten birdies and an eagle at 18. Yes, the East was in exceptional condition, but anyone who doesn't believe today's golf ball is making the game too easy for young talent is delusional. And clearly the R&A's course setup was again too generous for what is meant to be a qualifier for this year's Open Championship. At the 2024 Africa Amateur they allowed a course record 62 at Leopard Creek from another unknown youngster. Buchanan, from Cape Town, a college student at South Carolina, gets invites to the Open, British Amateur and SA Open. Lisa Coetzer, 15, from Ebotse Links, won the women's 54-hole event on level par.

Thomas Souness

08 February 2026

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We visited South Africa to celebrate my 50th and our group of low-handicaps played Blair Atholl, Randpark Firethorn and Royal Johannesburg. We've played top courses around the world, and the East Course more than met our expectations. It's in fact my new favourite course. Seriously tough if you get out of position but playable. We had a hole-in-one in our group at 16 with a 7-iron. Beautiful holes with a nice variety throughout. Fairways were pure and bunkers meticulously maintained. If you were in the rough, you were dealing with a penalty of sorts, either fliers or chopping it out. An unbelievable experience, both the clubhouse atmosphere and the round.

Rory Murphy

31 January 2026

Great experience to play the East after watching the tour pros here in December at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. It's a course where missing fairways has a bigger impact on your ability to score than most other courses. Not only do you get poor lies in the shaggy rough, but there is often tree limbs blocking your path to the green. I was impressed with the quality of the fairways, tightly mown and like carpets. I was surprised how short the opening hole plays. How can this be a par 5 for tour pros? The greens are attractively shaped and beautifully cared for, with enough slope in them to make chips and putts difficult to judge, whether uphill or downhill. The only disappointing green was the flat surface on the par-3 16th. An easy target, even across a wide water hazard.

Bart van Tonder

11 January 2026

A great test, with its mix of long and very tough holes and a few that reward placement over big hitting. Long, tree-lined, and immaculately presented, it rewards accuracy and course management from the first tee to last green. The layout flows beautifully through mature parkland, with elevation changes, strategic bunkering, and water hazards adding challenge and character. While the course plays as a cohesive unit, most players will disagree over which nine they feel they can score better on. The course keeps you guessing, especially when some back tees are put in play on the 3s. The refinements made several years ago are still hallmarks of the East, although some of the detail (wood chips that framed the ground underneath many trees) have not been kept at the same level as when introduced. Those details don’t impact the playability, and are small aesthetic items. The East remains a formidable test for pros and a rewarding experience for club golfers. Conditioning is good, despite all the rain. A highlight of the course is the balance between risk and reward, each hole requiring shot-making among big established trees, water and well-maintained bunkers.

Chris Wood

13 November 2025

The East Course will be hosting the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December (11-14), with the tournament's regular venue Leopard Creek evidently requiring "a period of recovery" following issues with their greens this year. It will have been nearly nine years since Royal last hosted a major event, the 2017 Joburg Open won by Darren Fichardt. The Joburg Open used both the West and East courses, but this event will only be on the East. Leopard Creek always had a strong field, and it will be interesting to see if players like Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel and others will continue to support Johann Rupert's tournament at a Gauteng venue. Royal will soon have a new course superintendent, whose first priority will be to get the East into tournament shape.

Thomas Souness

06 August 2025

The East is running beautifully as the fairways firm up. The bump and run shot is on all the time, yet it's a tricky one to pull off successfully from distance without practice. Well-placed bunkers lurk to catch anything off-line or balls running out of speed. Course is in superb condition, the quick greens a test of putting skills and nerve. New back tees are being grown in on No 11, the stroke 1, so forward tees are being used, making the approach shot over the water hazard a lot shorter and thus less demanding. Construction of more high-rise apartment buildings is ongoing immediately opposite the par-3 12th tee, and sadly this will impact on the aesthetics of this attractive and once picturesque corner of the course. The 11th green and 12th tee won't see much afternoon sun in winter once the Brookfield development is complete.

Stuart McLean

30 May 2025

Preparations for this week's Sunshine Ladies Tour event have been excellent with Royal's championship course in great condition. Greens rolling well, most bunkers playable despite the heavy sand. The white sand presents a beautiful aesthetic but does impact playability as balls often plug. Tournament weeks are better as the faces are levelled with errant shots running into a flat area. Fairways excellent and definition through the first and second cut impressive. Thick rough has become testing. East's strength is its demanding 4s. On the 5s longer hitters get full value for a solid tee shot. Par-3 fifth is my favourite, a green guarded by water short, bunkers left and right. Being downhill it plays shorter than 150 from club tee.

Jon James

27 March 2025

Four days of continuous rain in Gauteng has meant the cancellation of the Sunshine Tour's Hyundai Open, meant to tee off tomorrow. It would have been the first full-field pro tournament on the East Course since the 2017 Joburg Open. That tournament, also played in the second half of February, was plagued by rain and shortened to 54 holes. Unfortunately, the East's low-lying holes such as 6-7-11 become easily waterlogged after a lot of rain, and thus unplayable.

Stuart McLean

19 February 2025

The East Course is hosting an international amateur tournament this week, the first of three big events in coming months which will test its championship credentials. Next up the Sunshine Tour on February 20. Course in good condition and the rough forgiving, so scores could be low, although why the amateurs are playing No 1 (472) as a par 5 defies logic when they are hitting short irons for their seconds. In fact, other than No 6 (530), the East's par 5s are inadequately short by highveld standards. Royal have completed work on the par-3 16th to beautify this hole. An attractive rock wall has been built along the edges of the dam and fronting the wide green.

Thomas Souness

29 January 2025

One of Gauteng's very best. Just so well maintained and a true challenge for my golfing ability.

Andre van Niekerk

24 January 2025

Started at 10 which remains my least favourite hole as it offers little for an average driver with three deep traps protecting the fairway both left and right. Considering this is a 450-metre par 4 from the club tees I don’t see the point of these punitive bunkers. Once past this hole, the next 17 combine for some of the most varied and great selection of holes in Gauteng and perhaps the country. The sloping terrain makes a flat fairway lie as rare as chicken teeth. Where a flat lie is available, take advantage. The East is fun to play and not just a long boring walk. Whether one conquers the course or one is conquered (mostly inevitable), it is a great experience. Walking the course in wet conditions is, however, an exercise on its own. Take time to breathe in and enjoy the views.

Sabelo Ndabazandile

06 January 2025

The East Course is one of the rare courses in Gauteng where fairway bunkers play a big part in the overall challenge, and I guess this is what makes it a true championship layout. The reasonably deep traps threaten numerous drives during the 18 holes and driving into them on the longer par 4s like No 4 and 10 -- two holes where bunkers on both sides of the fairway shrink the target off the tee -- carries virtually a one-shot penalty, perhaps more for higher handicaps. Those few holes without fairway bunkers, Nos 11, 14 and 17, have other threats to them and a bunker feels unnecessary. The two adjoining fairway bunkers on 13 are perfectly placed, leaving a narrow gap between them for anyone wanting to risk the opportunity of getting closer to the green.

Lamprecht de Villiers

19 December 2024

The East course presents a nice challenge and certainly has some esteemed championship history. Good to hear it will be hosting a new 72-hole tournament on the Sunshine Tour, the Hyundai Open, in February 2025. It was just the tees that could be trimmed better for a course of this quality. A good experience otherwise.

Ignis van der Merwe

11 November 2024

East is playing firm and fast as once green fairways slowly change colour. Big run-out on drives to downhill or sloping fairways such as 1, 6, 10, 11 and 15. Had short iron for my second into par-5 first, but a front pin spoiled hope of a birdie. Fairway bunkers were very much in play which made tee shots need to be as accurate as possible. A fairway wood was usually a more sensible choice of club.

Rob de Villiers

09 July 2024

I've played two rounds on the East this year, months apart on a Thursday, and each time the pins were in identical positions on all 18 holes. By identical I mean just that, no slight discrepancy. Nothing wrong with the choice of pins, fair and challenging in equal proportion, yet it does eliminate an element of surprise for members who play regularly, and also disappoint occasional visitors who would like to play a different setup than one they have played before. It's clearly a pre-arranged setup which some clubs employ, and as such does deter the possibility of mischievous pin placements. Yet it does suggest a formulated and dull approach to the task. At the East the pins are front-back-middle in that order every 3 holes. No deviation. The course itself is in splendid health, a pleasure to play, testing throughout as there is little run on the fairways even in late May.

Stuart McLean

24 May 2024

I cannot remember previously playing a course where after hitting every fairway with my tee shots, I didn't hit an iron shot until the par-3 fifth. This is an unusual feature of the East Course, yet perhaps a typical experience for many golfers who use the club tees (6465m). No 1 is a par 5 (463) where after a good drive a fairway wood or hybrid second shot will get you close to or on the green. No 2 is a 211 par 3, and I used a hybrid to a back pin, as I did again at No 3 (403) and 4 (411). The East's par 4s are stately holes, none being weak or easy to par. The shortest is the uphill 17th (348) and after overnight rain the course was playing long. Front pins were if anything trickier than those at the back.

Dieter ten Haag

05 April 2024

The overall experience leaves a lasting impression at Royal Johannesburg on a visitor. Tradition and etiquette still hold strong values. It begins with the walk down the hall of fame entrance. Each of the major tournament winners at Royal over the decades have a plaque on the paved surface honouring their achievements. No clubs can be hauled through the clubhouse to the courses. You need to walk around the side of the building if you're carrying or pushing them, and caddies are available on this detour. A spacious putting green and short-game area at which to prepare for the round. Inside the clubhouse is an attractive reception area adjoining a smart pro shop, one of the best locker rooms in SA golf, and a stylish 19th hole. On the walls, interesting memorabilia to be studied and admired. The East Course has first-class teeing areas for No 1 and 10 a short walk from the clubhouse that set the tone for the round ahead (they aren't quite replicated on the West). Everything confirms that you've arrived at a special club.

Stuart McLean

11 June 2023

The East Course is fun to play, there being a good balance between challenge and opportunity. The par 5s offer birdie chances while the long par 4s test you in the extreme. Holes 10 and 11 keep your focus and may hurt your scorecard if you try to be too aggressive off the tee or with your approach. Unfortunately, Royal East has consistently struggled to maintain the conditioning standards in evidence when it opened for play after a full refresh. Drainage issues in lower lying areas persist following heavy rain, and the greens are not up to the standard of other Top 20 courses. Tee boxes are generally poor which impacts the overall conditioning rating. On the positive side, the pro shop and service at the 19th is always consistent.

Jon James

11 April 2023

The East Course is a classic parkland layout and deserves being presented as the club's "Championship Course." Royal's facilities and service levels are excellent. However, my recent game on the East left me disappointed. It was not what I would expect from a Top 10 course. The greens were up to standard, but the rest looked a bit worn, poorly maintained, and scruffy in places. There may be mitigating factors due to increased traffic during the West Course's 2022 upgrade, bad weather, and maintenance short staffing, but I question whether a Top 10 course should not be able to overcome such setbacks and present itself as such all year round.

Roy Jones

08 January 2023

An outing at Royal East is an amazing experience. I was with players of varying skills and was pleased by how friendly this challenging course was to each of us. Few balls lost and an enjoyable round. The greens superb, fast and true. The overall experience including the new restaurant at old halfway house made for a memorable day.

Sabelo Ndabazandile

19 July 2022

Played the East after a period of excessive rain. Nevertheless the course was well maintained with beautiful running greens and lush well-shaped fairways. The tees and bunker conditioning need improvement.

Neville Clarke

31 January 2022

The Beast is a strong challenge. It only lacks a risk-and-reward short par 4. Well positioned bunkers, so you have to think on every shot. Where can I miss this? Awesome layout.

Graham Jones

29 January 2022

It's a cruel reminder of your frailties when you play a true championship layout like the East Course how difficult and exacting this game can be. I was thankful to make a handful of pars! The East appears to have lots of width to it off the tee, yet the emphasis is more on how powerfully you can drive the ball, rather than merely hitting fairways. Saying that it remains extremely playable for all (the greens are quick yet superbly fair putting surfaces without ridiculous slopes) and an enjoyable experience. One unfortunate factor is that the East does suffer from perennial drainage issues on four low-lying fairways (Nos 6, 7, 11, 13) during wet weather, and the daily storms in Joburg right now don't help. But the bunkers cope beautifully and are a delight to play from.

Stuart McLean

01 December 2021

Royal East is billed as a premium golf experience and generally lives up to its reputation. Regretfully the winter conditioning is below the standard expected of a Top 10 course. The tee boxes are poor, and the greens not what you would expect at Royal. In addition, the service and time taken at the halfway house needs immediate attention. Maintaining all conditioning and facilities ratings should be a priority for Royal East given its high ranking, and our group was left disappointed.

Jon James

15 June 2021

A true championship course, my favourite in Gauteng, a great design with fairway bunkers perfectly placed, and requiring great ball striking off the tee to set up a challenging approach with few bailout areas. The greens had recently been rolled and running fast. However, numerous pitch marks had left grassless coin-sized gaps, creating inconsistency and bumps. Pace of play was also not ideal.

Graham Jones

18 May 2021

Royal J&K exudes a special brand of ambience for visitors unused to such a quality presentation. The walkway from the car park to the clubhouse entrance, the magnificent facilities inside and out (one of the best traditional locker rooms you will find around the world), the terrific short-game practice area in front of the clubhouse. The East is a pure championship golf layout from start to finish, a classic design to revere. The par-5 first is a relatively gentle opener, albeit with a tricky rumpled green, but after that the bar is raised substantially. There's width off the tee to keep you in play, but the approach shots to fast-paced greens are demanding and it's not a course where you can hide your frailties.

Stuart McLean

05 May 2021

This is my home club and I have tried to be as objective as possible. There are several aspects of the East that should be better, notably the tees, which have become somewhat uneven, and the fairways, with which I have a problem with the method of mowing. Two wide strips, one towards the green (left side) and one towards the tee (right side).

David Stratton

15 February 2021

Beautiful and enjoyable championship course with two tee options for women: Executive and Classic. Very picturesque holes, and greens superb. The clubhouse and 19th hole are large and it has an old school feel.

Amy Laird

18 January 2021

The East Course was looking fabulous in the second week of December. The greens were a touch slow and the bunkering still problematic.

Neville Clarke

03 January 2021

The East course needs to have another set of tees to cater for the average golfer. The greens and bunkers have settled after reconstruction three years ago and the course warrants its championship rating. A destination for any visitor to Gauteng and a great test for serious golfers.

vaughan sammons

22 December 2020

A course that will test your game. Accuracy off the tee is important because of the trees. The conditioning is world class, the greens are a pleasure to putt on.

Philip Malan

12 December 2020

Recent rains have contributed to the course being in excellent condition. While Royal East generally maintains superb standards, befitting one of the best parkland courses in SA, like most courses it has suffered a little with all aspects of the course due to lockdown. East is a true championship challenge with significant length and difficulty that will test all aspects of your game.

Doron Neuhaus

18 November 2020

Definitely the best course in Gauteng and yet so accessible to all golfers wishing to play there. Greens were in excellent condition for winter. Fairways weren't green but still in great condition.

Sabelo Ndabazandile

12 September 2020

Royal East is a treat. The presentation in summer is superb. The greens were excellent and the bunkers have settled well. Pace of play and value of a day at Royal is brilliant. Service, pro shop and the "Royal Experience" are all appreciated.

Jon James

27 February 2020

Johannesburg - Gauteng

Course Summary

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AFRICA AMATEUR

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