The Clarens

Clarens in the Eastern Free State has long been one of South Africa’s favourite destinations for weekend trippers, but a modern golf course came late to the scene in terms of activities in the area, the 18-hole layout opening for play in 2008 as part of a residential estate.

It’s an attractive and enjoyable course to play, overlooked by the magnificent sandstone mountains (the distinctive peak of Mount Horeb) which make Clarens one of the more beautiful towns in South Africa. There was a 9-hole course here previously, and part of that land was used by Golf Data designer Sean Quinn to build what he termed a “quirky but fun design.”

The quirky holes come on the property around the clubhouse, which has its entrance on the Fouriesburg road, and hosts functions and conferences. The front nine holes climb on to a ridge overlooking the attractive green-roofed clubhouse, and there’s an undulating stretch from the third tee to the eighth green using the hillside to interesting effect.

Clarens is 1818 metres above sea level, which makes it the second highest 18-hole course in the country behind Highland Gate (Mpumalanga), which is at nearly 2000 metres. The rarefied air means that at a distance of 6 194 metres from the back tees the course plays relatively short for its par of 72, although it does have a high Slope of 145 due to the terrain and some smallish and treacherous greens (bent grass) complexes.

Part of the fun of playing Clarens is the varied number of shortish par 4s. In firm conditions, particularly the winter months, their greens are within reach of a tee shot. There are half-a-dozen of them, including the opening four holes which measure 322, 344, 301 and 310 respectively from the club tees.

This is an unusual sequence of starting holes among SA courses; however, it is similar in that respect to Royal Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape which begins 294, 315, 290 and 272. The nature of the land as you venture on to the ridge means each of the four holes plays differently.

The first is a flat hole alongside a water hazard on the left, the second is played over a gully to a slightly elevated fairway, then the fun begins. The third is steeply uphill to a narrow green which falls away on the left. The fourth returns downhill, and you turn at right angles to face a green fronted by a deep ravine you don’t want to visit.

That’s followed by a run of 3-5-3-5, and the greens of both dogleg par 5s are easily within range after a good drive. The sixth tumbles down the side of the ridge to a raised green that’s so shallow it’s difficult to hold even with a short iron. The eighth has a wonderful back tee from high on the ridge over a stand of gum trees to the fairway below.

The ninth, stroke one with water fronting the green, is the longest par 4 at 404 metres, and it’s followed by stroke two, 370 metres. At this stage you leave the clubhouse area into the “old course” domain, using a tunnel under the main road. Confronting you is the excellent 373-metre 11th, possibly the best hole on the course, presenting a challenging tee shot to a fairway curving right.

The back nine undoubtedly has the stronger holes, with two lengthy par 5s, and trouble in the form of wetlands. But two cleverly designed short par 4s of 305 and 304 metres are there to provide balance and birdies.

Clarens has a quartet of superb par 3s, none of them simple, and No 17 occupies a stunning setting, played from a high tee atop a rocky koppie to the green in a valley below.

The course plays at its best in the summer months (weekends are busy) before the winter frosts strike. Winter days are beautiful and crisp, but temperatures can plummet to below freezing.