Listed below are all 414 courses affiliated to GolfRSA. They have been categorised into regions and provincial golf unions, 18-hole courses separated from those with 9 holes.
DID YOU KNOW?
2016 kilometres
The distance by car between Gansbaai GC, the furthest south course, and the furthest north, Popallin Ranch GC, on the Limpopo River
1932 kilometres
The distance by car between Alexander Bay, the furthest west course, and the furthest east, Monzi GC, near St Lucia.
1088 kilometres
The longest distance by car between two clubs within the same golf union: Colesberg to Alexander Bay in Northern Cape
Clubs with largest and smallest membership
Port Shepstone (KZN) 5560 and Ulco (Northern Cape) 10
Average club membership is 275
Men make up 89% of total affiliated GolfRSA membership
Biggest and smallest unions in membership
KZN with 26 086 and Northern Cape 1 545
Biggest and smallest unions in courses
KZN with 67 and Ekurhuleni with 17
Three regions, Greater Gauteng, Western Cape and KZN, have 133 courses with 18 holes. There are only 62 in the rest of SA.
Provincial unions with most 9-holers
KZN 33, Free State 29, Boland 29, Mpumalanga 23
Provincial unions with most 18-holers
KZN 34, Central Gauteng 31, Gauteng North & Western Province 15
The only foreign course affiliated to GolfRSA
Maseru in Lesotho (114 members) affiliated to Free State GU in 2007 when they joined Handicap Network Africa
Oldest clubs
Royal Cape was the first golf club, founded 1885 (the Royal part came later in 1910), but Maritzburg (1886) beat Royal Cape in terms of the first round of golf played. There were 22 clubs founded before 1900, 16 of which were in the former Cape Province. The oldest in the Free State was Harrismith (1887), in the Eastern Cape it was Aliwal North (1889), in the Northern Cape it was Kimberley (1890), and in Gauteng it was Royal Johannesburg (1890).
Courses with mammal and bird names (10)
Arendskraal, Dolphin Creek, Eagle Canyon, Heron Banks, Jackal Creek, Kambaku (named after a Kruger Park elephant), Leopard Creek, Loeriesfontein, Sakabula, Springbok.
Courses named after trees or flowers (9)
Akasia, Bushwillow, Firethorn, Fynbos, Kameeldoring, Sesambos, Olivewood, Royal Oak, Umdoni Park.
Courses with river in the title (10)
Berg River, Kuils River, Mooi River, Riversdale, Riverside, Riviersonderend, Sabi River Sun, Sand River, The River Club, White River.
Courses with bay in the title (12)
Alexander Bay, Boggomsbaai, Gansbaai, Jeffreys Bay, Lamberts Bay, Mossel Bay, Oubaai, Plettenberg Bay, Richards Bay, Sardinia Bay, St Francis Bay, Stilbaai.
Courses with real people’s names but not a town’s name (8)
Fancourt, Gary Player, Oppenheimer Park, Papwa Sewgolum, Schoeman Park, The Club at Steyn City, Victoria, Wingate Park.
Top 100 courses without a water hazard
East London, Mossel Bay, Royal Port Alfred
Courses which end or begin with a par 3
Akasia, Badplaas, Cato Ridge, Howick, Katberg, Kleinmond, Kloof, Simbithi, Simonstown, Umhlali
Courses with railway line through or adjoining course
Kimberley, King David Mowbray, Parow, Royal Cape, Scottburgh, Umhlali, Umkomaas
Courses next to each other
There are four instances where separate clubs share a common boundary fence between 18-hole courses. Schoeman Park and Bloemfontein GC, George GC and Kingswood, Royal Johannesburg East and Huddle Park, Dainfern and The Club at Steyn City. Champagne Sports Resort has a boundary fence with 9-hole Monk’s Cowl. Courses separated by a road are Rondebosch and King David Mowbray, Durban CC and Windsor Park. Separated by the Vaal River are Maccauvlei and Riviera.
Longest and shortest nine holes
The back nine at Blair Atholl is 4 034 metres from the gold tees. The shortest from back tees is 2 622 metres on the front nine at Umdoni Park.
South Africa’s shortest 18-holers (back tees)*
Scottburgh 5323, Margate 5554, Southbroom 5571, Umdoni Park 5592, Amanzimtoti 5593, Umkomaas 5625, St Francis Bay 5647, Katberg 5661, Somerset West 5665, West Bank 5680, Richards Bay 5682, The Belmont 5719, Royal Port Alfred 5732, Eshowe 5733, Port Shepstone 5744, Knysna 5752.
*Excluded is Simbithi (3902) which has 13 par 3s.
South Africa’s longest 18-holers (back tees)
Blair Atholl 7527, The Els Club Copperleaf 7363, Eye of Africa 7210,
Gary Player 7162, Serengeti 7096, The Club at Steyn City 7054,
Euphoria 7040, Pecanwood 7040, Royal Johannesburg East 7001
Toughest Course Rating and Slope
The Links at Fancourt Black 6930 metres, CR78.9/Slope 155
Blair Atholl Black 7527 metres, CR78.5/146
Gary Player Burgundy 7162 metres, CR78.2/155
7 major champions have designed SA courses
Gary Player (first in 1970s), Jack Nicklaus (first 1998), Tom Weiskopf (1998), Ernie Els (2005), Annika Sorenstam (2008), Nick Price (2008) and Greg Norman (2010)
Highest Course in Altitude
Highland Gate, at some 2000 metres above sea level, is thought to be the highest Top 100 course. Nearby Dullstroom is regarded as the highest town at 2076 metres.
NINE-HOLE COURSES (TOTAL 219)
The North (60 courses)
Central Gauteng, Gauteng North & Ekurhuleni (9): Avion Park, Cullinan, Daveyton, Heidelberg, Hillside, Sandonia, SAPS Training Centre, Waterpan, Zwartkop.
Limpopo (12): Amandelbult, Chrome, Drakensig, Groblersdal, Marble Hall, Messina, Naboomspruit, Sesambos, Soutpansberg, Swartklip, Thabazimbi, University of Limpopo.
Mpumalanga (23): Amersfoort, Arnot, Badplaas, Bankenveld, Barberton, Belfast, Bethal, Carolina, Delmas, Greenside, Kambaku, Kranspoort, Kriel, Kruger Lodge, Lydenburg, Malelane, Morgenzon, Piet Retief, Pilgrims Rest, Sabie, Skukuza, Standerton, Volksrust.
North West (16): Bloemhof, Christiana, Delareyville, Koster, Landboukollege, Lichtenburg, Mooinooi, Ottosdal, Reivilo, Sandy Lane, Sannieshof, Schweizer Reneke, Ventersdorp, Vryburg, Wolmaransstad, Zeerust.
Free State & Northern Cape (49 courses)
Free State (29): Balkfontein, Bethulie, Bothaville, Brandfort, Bultfontein, Clocolan, Dewetsdorp, Edenburg, Frankfort, Heilbron, Hoopstad, Jacobsdal, Jagersfontein, Kestell, Koffiefontein, Marquard, Maseru, Petrus Steyn, Reitz, Sand River, Senekal, Smithfield, Tempe, Theunissen, Viljoenskroon, Vrede, Wesselsbron, Westminster, Zastron.
Northern Cape (20): Alexander Bay, Arendskraal, Black Mountain, Colesberg, De Aar, Douglas, Hartswater, Hopetown, Hotazel, Jan Kemp, Kakamas, Kleinzee, Kuruman, Lime Acres, Loeriesfontein, Prieska, Richmond, Springbok, Ulco, Williston.
Western Cape (44 courses)
Boland (29): Berg River, Bonnievale, Boschenmeer, Bredasdorp, Caledon, Ceres, Citrusdal, Clanwilliam, Darling, De Hoek, Gansbaai, Hermanus (27-hole facility), Hex Valley, Kleinmond, Lamberts Bay, Lutzville, Malmesbury, Montagu, Moorreesburg, Porterville, Riverside, Riviersonderend, Shelley Point, Swellendam, Theewaterskloof, Vredenburg, Vredendal, Wellington, Xamarin.
Southern Cape (11): Albertinia, Beaufort West, Boggomsbaai, Dolphin Creek, Glenwood, Heidelberg, Ladismith, Riversdale, Stilbaai, Uniondale, Willowmore.
Western Province (4): Fairview, Helderberg, Metropolitan, Simonstown.
KwaZulu-Natal (33 courses)
KZN (33): Amatikulu, Amphitheatre, Beachwood, Bosch Hoek, Camelot, Cathedral Peak, Darnall, Estcourt, Glencoe Correctional, Greytown, Harding, Howick, Kilbarchan, Kwambonambi, Ladysmith (13), Maidstone, Mandini, Melmoth, Monks Cowl, Monzi, Mooi River, Mtunzini, Noodsberg, Paulpietersburg, Pongola, Port Edward, Richmond, Sakabula, St Cathryns, Umfolozi, Underberg, Utrecht, Vryheid.
Eastern Cape (33 courses)
Border (20): Adelaide, Aliwal North, Barkly East, Bedford, Burgersdorp, Cathcart, Cradock, Dordrecht, Elliot, Fort Beaufort, Gonubie, Kei Mouth, Komga, Lady Grey, Maclear, Matatiele, Middelburg, Molteno, Port St Johns, Stutterheim.
Eastern Province (13): Alexandria, Fynbos, Graaff-Reinet, Hankey, Jeffreys Bay, Kirkwood, Kragga Kamma, Langkloof, Sardinia Bay, Somerset East, Walmer CC, Walmer GC, Zwartenbosch.
18-HOLE COURSES (TOTAL 195)
The North (88 courses)
Central Gauteng (31): Bryanston, CMR, CCJ Rocklands & Woodmead, Dainfern, Eagle Canyon, Emfuleni, Eye of Africa, Glenvista, Goldfields West, Houghton, Huddle Park, Jackal Creek, Killarney, Krugersdorp, Kyalami, Meyerton, Modderfontein, Observatory, Parkview, Randpark Bushwillow & Firethorn, Riviera, Royal Johannesburg East & West, Ruimsig, Southdowns, Soweto, The Club at Steyn City, The River Club, Wanderers.
Ekurhuleni (14): Benoni CC, Ebotse Links, ERPM, Germiston, Glendower, Kempton Park, Nigel, Pollak Park, Reading, Royal Oak, Serengeti Signature, Springs, State Mines, The Lake Club Benoni.
Gauteng North (15): Akasia, Blair Atholl, Blue Valley, Bronkhorstspruit, Centurion, Irene, Pebble Rock, Pretoria CC, Pretoria GC, Services, Silver Lakes, The Els Club Copperleaf, Waterkloof, Wingate Park, Woodhill.
Limpopo (8): Elements, Euphoria, Kameeldoring, Koro Creek, Mogol, Polokwane, Tzaneen, Zebula.
Mpumalanga (10): Ermelo, Graceland, Highland Gate, Leopard Creek, Mbombela, Middelburg, Sabi River Sun, Walker Park, White River, Witbank.
North West (10): Gary Player CC, Klerksdorp, Lost City, Magalies Park, Millvale, Orkney, Pecanwood, Potchefstroom, Rustenburg, Seasons Eco.
Western Cape (39 courses)
Boland (10): Arabella, Devonvale, De Zalze, Hermanus, Langebaan, Paarl, Pearl Valley, Robertson, Stellenbosch, Worcester.
Southern Cape (14): Fancourt Montagu & Outeniqua, George, Goose Valley, Kingswood, Knysna, Mossel Bay, Oubaai, Oudtshoorn, Pezula, Pinnacle Point, Plettenberg Bay, Simola, The Links at Fancourt.
Western Province (15): Atlantic Beach, Bellville, Clovelly, Durbanville, Erinvale, King David Mowbray, Kuils River, Milnerton, Parow, Rondebosch, Royal Cape, Somerset West, Steenberg, Strand, Westlake.
KwaZulu-Natal (34 courses)
KZN (34): Amanzimtoti, Bluff National Park, Cato Ridge, Champagne Sports Resort, Cotswold Downs, Drakensberg Gardens, Dundee, Durban CC, Empangeni, Eshowe, Gowrie Farm, Kloof, Margate, Maritzburg, The Lakes & The Woods at Mount Edgecombe, Newcastle, Papwa Sewgolum, Port Shepstone, Prince’s Grant, Richards Bay, Royal Durban, San Lameer, Scottburgh, Selborne Park, Simbithi, Southbroom, Umdoni Park, Umhlali, Umkomaas, Victoria, Vulintaba, Windsor Park, Zimbali.
Free State & Northern Cape (20 courses)
Free State (13): Bethlehem, Bloemfontein, Clarens, Ficksburg, Harrismith, Heron Banks, Kroonstad, Ladybrand, Maccauvlei, Oppenheimer Park, Parys, Schoeman Park, Vaal de Grace.
Northern Cape (7): Calvinia, Carnarvon, Kimberley, Magersfontein, Sishen, Upington, Victoria West.
Eastern Cape (14 courses)
Border (7): East London, Katberg, Mthatha, Olivewood, Queenstown, West Bank, Wild Coast Sun.
Eastern Province (7): Humewood, Port Elizabeth, Royal Port Alfred, St Francis Bay, St Francis Links, The Belmont, Uitenhage.
