Dainfern is in exceptional condition before next week’s Sunshine Tour Players Championship. The routing is excellent and significant work to widen the landing areas off the tee has made a number of holes more playable. The Jukskei River features prominently, a hazard off the tee or in tight approaches to the greens. The course is not long off the club tees by Gauteng standards (6289 metres) and provides a high quality offering. The par-4 seventh (stroke 1) alongside the river is an exceptional hole requiring a precise drive and approach shot. The par-5 eighth has a challenging greens complex fronted by the river, and a front pin is a challenge. The variety of the par 3s is another enjoyable element of this Gary Player design. Dainfern’s significant improvement, with excellent greens, consistent bunkers and the attention to detail from the maintenance team, surely suggests it must challenge for a higher ranking. Service at the 19th is top notch, as is the range of stock at the pro shop.
