Umhlali is an impressive country club facility with an attractively appointed clubhouse. It boasts one of Peter Matkovich’s most enjoyable and scenic designs. A comfortable fit for most golfers, with essentially only one “scary” hole, the daunting par-3 fourth. Several courses nowadays have a par 3 with water fronting the green, but not one measuring 181 metres (yellow) buffeted by coastal winds. A high back tee makes club selection tricky. It’s a challenging start at Umhlali, because Nos 2 and 3 are strong par 4s. The 378m third is played through a beautiful avenue of broad leafy trees to one of the smaller greens which presents a difficult target. The greens vary enormously in size, as do some of the entrances, and it’s a course which rewards accurate iron play. Even the tour pros can struggle here on a breezy day, and it’s only 5943 from the back. The back nine is a feast of interesting and well-balanced holes. From 13 to 18 you play a short dogleg 5, two short 4s, two longish uphill 4s, and a closing 3. Nos 14 (280 downhill) and 16 (324 and sloping right to left) have two of the smallest greens, and getting close to them with the tee shot takes a brave approach as the fairways are narrow.
