It’s a cruel reminder of your frailties when you play a true championship layout like the East Course how difficult and exacting this game can be. I was thankful to make a handful of pars! The East appears to have lots of width to it off the tee, yet the emphasis is more on how powerfully you can drive the ball, rather than merely hitting fairways. Saying that it remains extremely playable for all (the greens are quick yet superbly fair putting surfaces without ridiculous slopes) and an enjoyable experience. One unfortunate factor is that the East does suffer from perennial drainage issues on four low-lying fairways (Nos 6, 7, 11, 13) during wet weather, and the daily storms in Joburg right now don’t help. But the bunkers cope beautifully and are a delight to play from.