The KZN North Coast is dotted with Peter Matkovich courses, so refreshing therefore to revisit a design by the late American Tom Weiskopf at Zimbali, now 25 years old. It has matured well and there’s much to love in the flow of the holes and variation of challenges. I was reminded of the size of some greens, that on the long fourth is enormous. This is not a wow factor layout, which is what they are achieving at Zimbali Lakes next door; nevertheless, it has terrific stretches of holes, notably 1-5 flowing downhill to the far end of the estate. If this doesn’t excite you, nothing will. The first has been criticised for its seemingly bland tee shot to the crest of a rise, yet the moment you reach your ball and sight the green you have to be enthralled. No 2 is a picturesque short 4 with the first Biarritz green I’ve seen in SA, a diagonal hollow in the middle. Then the dramatic par-5 third, the testing fourth (a big tree downed in a storm has made the tee shot easier), and par-3 fifth, played from a series of high tees looking out over the ocean.
