Mature trees play a key role on parkland courses, either by framing holes or blocking certain sides of holes, denying open access to a green. Killarney’s magnificent tenth hole, difficult enough in terms of length (420 white), has a willow tree left of the fairway about 150 from the green that effectively shuts out drives down that side of the fairway. The tree leans at an angle over the fairway, and you need to hook your approach around it to have any chance of reaching the green. Killarney is not a long layout by Gauteng standards, yet its outstanding design variety makes for testing yet fair golf. The greens are wonderful creations, larger than average which means so many different pin positions are available. The bunkers frame the greens harmoniously, and water hazards are a constant yet not ever-present threat. There’s an ideal mix of length in the 4s, and while the par 3s are similar in length (155 to 175 white), they look and play differently from each other. A stream guards the right of 4, while 6 has a wide green, 14 is elevated with the sluit to carry, and 17 has a big bunker in front. From the championship tees they are impressive, a combined 774 metres.
