Blue Valley last appeared in the Top 100 rankings 10 years ago, and yet this is still an outstanding Gary Player layout both pleasant and challenging to play. It wouldn’t be out of place in the Top 100 today, as its conditioning is better than average. Bunker sand is exceptionally good. Greens run at an ideal pace. I enjoy hilly courses, but the undulating terrain may not be everyone’s cup of tea. There are steep inclines on the front nine, notably at par-5s No 3 and 5. Golf cart essential. Blue Valley is a vast residential estate, yet there are attractive pockets of bushveld vegetation around the course which makes it scenic in many places. Left of holes 5-7 particularly. The course mostly feels wide off the tee, although the lengthy No 11 (stroke 1) has the Rietspruit river left of the fairway. One of the few flat holes. A well-balanced layout where the 5s were sensibly built on the steepest climbs. There’s no uphill slog on a par 4. Six of them are downhill.