Simola offers one of the most challenging bunker experiences the average golfer will face on a South African golf course. They get into your head as early as the second hole, and defend this layout immensely well. The creatively designed Jack Nicklaus bunker complexes are a magnificent feature, and only by managing to avoid them will you get the better of this scenic wonder. There are close to 100 bunkers and they are spacious and deep. Crucially, they come into play on so many holes, both off the tee and around the greens, that you need to have the management skills to shape your shots past them. My favourite complex is the large expanse of sand which intimidatingly fronts the par-5 12th green like the barrier of a fortress. And a similar challenge awaits at the uphill par-5 15th. Your heart is in your mouth as you watch your approach shots attempt to scale them.
