Royal Durban has undergone a brilliant transformation this year and was in excellent condition for the senior society national tournament. With its firm fairways, thickish rough, smallish greens (often sloped with tricky front pins) and open terrain this is a good old-fashioned coastal challenge, a handful for anyone if the wind gets up. The front nine (par 35) is especially good, with six strong par 4s to contemplate (three with out-of-bounds right, Greyville racetrack coming into play), plus an unusually shaped par 5 and a “killer” par 3 (No 6) into the wind. The back nine is easier with three par 5s, although again you have a couple of tough 4s (15 & 17) and another par 3 (14) where a long narrow green presents a tricky target. And No 18 is a characterful par 5 finishing hole, with its large green right up against the clubhouse. Drinks in a classic 19th hole cannot be missed.
