About Golf
Cape Town is home to a number of first class Golf Courses, with a variety of courses along the coast and more inland, we can guarantee that golf lovers won’t be disappointed, no matter what your Handicap or skill level.
ROYAL CAPE GOLF CLUB
Designed by: Charles Murray
Type: Combination of Links and Parklands
Holes: 18
Par: 72
Length: Championship 6 121 metres, Ladies 5 392 metres
The Royal Cape Golf Club, situated in the Southern Suburb of Wynberg, Cape Town, was founded in 1885. It is South Africa’s oldest and most exclusive club featuring a course with narrow fairways lined by trees. It is only a 15-minute drive from the city centre and from the Cape Town International Airport.
A true championship course, having hosted the South African Open eleven times and the South African Amateur Championships eight times, it has recently undertaken a reconstruction programme of all eighteen greens strictly to the specifications of the United States Golf Association.
The course today is a fine test of golf, especially when the south-easter is blowing. Essentially it is a flat parkland course, well maintained and a pleasure to play with lovely views of the Table Mountain range. The fairways are narrow and tree-lined.
Wayward shots are penalised by trees and the greens are well bunkered.
There is also plenty of water on the course, particularly at the corner of the 3rd, 4th and 5th holes and at the 14th, 15th and 16th holes. The most difficult holes are the par 4 third, at 435 metres which is the longest two-shotter on the course, and the par 4 14th played into the teeth of the prevailing south-easter with water guarding the right of the green.
Appropriate golf attire required. The Golf Course is reserved for members on Saturdays, closed Good Friday and Christmas Day. Handicap certificate compulsory. Soft spikes are required on the golf course.
METROPOLITAN GOLF CLUB
Type: Parklands
Holes: 2 x 9 holes
Par: 72
Length: Championship, Seniors, Club, Ladies 5 852 metres
The Metropolitan Golf Course is based in Mouille Point, Cape Town. At Metropolitan Golf Club you enjoy your game in the most centrally situated green belt of Cape Town. Adjacent to the V&A Waterfront, it is only a five-minute walk, with magnificent views of Table Mountain and Signal Hill. Metropolitan Golf Club is officially a 9 hole course but a variety of greens and tee’s provides a different challenge in the second round.
While the Metropolitan Golf Club is not among the most attractive courses in the Cape, its great advantage is its close position to the city centre. Anyone living in Sea Point, Green Point or at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, can walk there. The view of Table Mountain is beautiful. The terrain is quite even, bunkers and water hazards are well placed.
Open all year; Tuesday afternoons ladies only ; Thursday afternoons reserved for competitions; Saturdays members only; Sundays often crowded; previous appointment recommended. Visitors are always welcome.
RONDEBOSCH GOLF CLUB
Designed by: Bob Grimsdale
Type: Parklands Golf Course
Holes: 18
Par: 72
Length: Championship 6 200 metres, Senior 5 448 metres, Ladies 5 197 metres, Club 5 775 metres
Rondebosch Golf Course based in Klipfontein Road, Rondebosch East, Cape Town. Ten minutes from the city centre, and situated with magnificent views of Devil’s Peak and Table Mountain from most holes, the Rondebosch Golf Club is a popular choice for locals and foreign visitors. The river, which winds through the course, provides challenges to the players and is home to a variety of bird life.
This course is essentially a return to the original concept of golf, being very much a parkland-type of golf course from which the game evolved. Some tight driving holes, compounded by undulating fairways and the ever-present threat of strong winds provide some interesting play. The course has been changed recently and some new features have been added making the course a good test for all levels.
Giant pine trees flank the right side of the long par-4 eighth hole, played into the prevailing wind towards the clubhouse. It has a large, sloping green.
Facilities: Visitors are most welcome. Rondabosh Golf Club comprises Pro Golf shops, restaurant, bar and function facilities. It is open daily from 07h30 till late. Closed Easter Friday and Christmas Day.
MILNERTON GOLF CLUB
Designed by: Gold Data
Type: Links Golf Course
Holes: 18
Par: 72
Length: Championship 3 116 metres, Senior 3 116 metres, Ladies 3 116 metres, Club 3 116 metres
Milnerton Golf Course situated in Milnerton, Cape Town, is a regular host to PGA events including the South African Open. The course boasts picture postcard views of Table Mountain across the bay from almost every hole.
Milnerton Golf Course is an 18-hole, par 72 seaside course situated in a leafy suburb just 10 minutes north of the city of Cape Town. Surrounded by natural beauty, the course is a pleasure to the senses and a challenge to even the most experienced golfer, especially when the prevailing South Easter affectionately known as the “Cape Doctor”, makes her house calls in the summer months!
Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the RietVlei River, this lush links-type course is relatively flat with few trees. But with the sea and the lagoon bordering most holes, and the seven beautiful water holes waiting to claim the wayward shot, it offers a truly unique golfing experience!
Typical of many links-type courses, you will play the first 9 holes out, enjoy a light meal at the halfway house, and then return back to the clubhouse via the second 9.Together with the ever changing weather conditions, each hole presents the golfer with a test of skill equalled only by international championship courses such as The Royal and Golf Club of St Andrews.
Together with the ever changing weather conditions, each hole presents the golfer with a test of skill equalled only by international championship courses such as The Royal and Golf Club of St Andrews.
Club regulations: Appropriate golf attire is required. No handicap required unless you are entering a competition.
BELLVILLE GOLF COURSE
Designed by: Bob Grimsdell (1979), Mark Muller (1994)
Holes: 18
Par: 72
Length: Championship 6 008 metres, Club 5 836 metres
Bellville Golf Course is situated in the magnificent Welgemoed Valley, this beautiful course is hardly affected by local prevailing winds. The course is fairly challenging with a few water hazards and well-placed bunkers. Always green and lush, never dry. This is a beautiful course definitely worth a visit.
Centrally situated in the Peninsula, within easy reach from all major access routes, this course is a must for all golfers. The 18 hole golf course is sheltered by a valley of rolling hills with panoramic views of the Hottentots Holland mountains in the distance.
The 72 Par, 6 000 metre course, offers golfers the ideal opportunity of a challenging round of golf. When upgrading the course approximately three years ago, the course architects made every effort to incorporate the natural contours and features of the course. This resulted in a course that caters for golfers of all levels of expertise.
The course is well bunkered, well watered and has five water holes. The greens are American Creeping Bent and the lush Kikuyu fairways allow good lines. The practice putting and chipping greens are situated near the Clubhouse. The dams and water canals are abound with birds and wild fowl. The manicured fairways and greens are lined with a variety of trees and specially created floral features, which all add to the tranquil and pleasing setting.
The attractive par 3 12th requires a testing tee shot played across a large dam to a well-bunkered green.
The modern clubhouse is in a prime location, with panoramic views of the course and mountains in the distance. A secured parking area is located just in front. The club has a privately managed restaurant called “Fairways” which serves up
the best food in town, ideal after that good round.
The club has a beautiful practice facility with a large putting green. Motorised carts, as well as professional caddies and clubs are available for hire from the Pro Shop. Block bookings and large groups are welcome. Competitions every Wednesday afternoon, and all day on Saturdays.
MOWBRAY GOLF CLUB
Designed by: S V Hotchkin (1929) Bob Grimsdell (1954)
Type: Combination of Links and Parklands
Holes: 18
Par: 72
Length: Championship 6 070 metres, Senior 6 094 metres, Ladies 6 094 metres, Club 5 705 metres
Mowbray Golf Course based Raapenberg Road, Mowbray, Cape Town, is situated approximately ten minutes from Cape Town city centre. Established in 1910, the club is recognised as being one of the best in the country with all major amateur championships having been played here. Mowbray has hosted the SA Open seven times and the Bells Cup three times.
Set in a very central area, about 15 minutes from the V&A Waterfront and Cape Town’s Airport, Mowbray is a parkland course, which provides an excellent test of golf. The terrain is flat, but plenty of trees and water features make for an interesting experience, with the beauty of the mountain and abundant wild life dominating the scenery.
A significant feature of any coastal course is, of course, the wind. Mowbray is unique as the holes have been laid out in such a way that you will seldom find yourself with the wind directly in your face or right at your back. Also, believe it or not, the wind in Pinelands is seldom as severe as in other parts of the peninsula.
Members generally appreciate the wind, as the “windy season” coincides with the summer, keeping the heat at bay. The rainy season is in the winter – in the months of June through August but strangely enough, most wives of members have come to believe that it never rains on the golf course! Certainly, golf is very much a year round activity here and it is seldom that the course has to be closed due to wet conditions.
Both fairways and greens remain soft throughout the year. The fairways consist predominantly of kikuyu grass while the greens are a mixture of fine grasses which provide an excellent putting surface. Experiments with pure bent grass have not been successful, so the indigenous grasses are now being “managed”, with more than satisfactory results.
While the course is not particularly long, the golfer will find Mowbray a real challenge. It is generally accepted that the S A Golf Union ratings of 71 from the back tees and 69 from the front make it about 2 or 3 strokes more difficult than average. Don’t let this put you off, however. If you hit the ball straight, you’ll do well and even if you go off line here and there, the rough is very forgiving and is kept well trimmed.
With the imposing Devils Peak as your aiming point off the tee, the 15th is a tough par-4 with a narrow fairway lined by pine trees.
WESTLAKE GOLF CLUB
Established: 1932
Type: Parklands Golf Course
Holes: 18
Par: 72
Length: Club 5 700 metres
Westlake Golf Course, based against the amethyst slopes of the Silvermine mountains is one of Cape Town’s Premier Courses. This easy to walk, 18 hole par 72 golf course is characterised by the towering trees, which line many of its fairways. Westlake has a very interesting, yet user-friendly design and quite a few doglegs. If you manage to stay out of the trees, you will achieve a good score. From the first to the eighteenth hole, every step affords panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.
Established in 1932, Westlake Golf Club welcomes visitors with its special blend of old world charm and modern amenities in an atmosphere of conviviality and camaraderie. Whether you’re a tourist enjoying a Cape holiday, or a local golfer, visit Westlake and see for yourself why Westlake is the Cape’s most popular course.
One of the main characteristics of this course is the openness of its layout. The fairways are fairly wide and short and this, provided you stay out of trouble, makes for a potentially low-scoring round.
The user-friendly design of the course allows enjoyment for anyone, whatever their handicap. Accuracy off the tee will always be rewarded by a clear shot to the greens. The kikuyu fairways are boarded by shrubs and a variety of trees including the massive Port Jackson that towers over golfers and fairways alike.
Watch out for the signature par-four 12th. The fairways are lined with pine trees with a dogleg left that almost jumps out at the player. The green is small and well guarded on the right by a tree side bunker.
Appropriate golf attire Handicap is required.
CLOVELLY GOLF CLUB
Designed by: Dr Charles Molteno Murray, 1934
Type: Parklands Golf Course
Holes: 18
Par: 72
Length: Championship 5 871 metres, Senior 5 861 metres, Ladies 5 861 metres, Club 5 745 metres
Clovelly Country Club is nestled in the pristine and tranquil Silvermine Valley close to Fish Hoek in Cape Town. This relatively short layout, built among sand dunes, rewards accuracy off the tee and provides players with scenic views of the False Bay coastline.
Known for its superb greens, its lawn bowling greens, tennis courts and one of the finest golf courses in South Africa, Clovelly offers its members and visitors a memorable experience. Clovelly – like fine Cape wines – improves steadily with age, and its vintage and quality is well established throughout South Africa, and indeed, beyond our shores. This reputation is founded on the warmth of Clovelly’s “family” character and its outstanding facilities.
Clovelly ranks as one of the finest courses in the Cape Peninsula. Clovelly was designed by Dr Charles Molteno Murray, one of the best known golf architects of his day and advocate Bobby Lewin was responsible for much of the magnificent landscaping. Together they produced one of Southern Africa’s most picturesque and challenging courses.
Famous for its rolling, computer-irrigated fairways and undulating holes, Clovelly complements its rich coastal environment. With natural sand dunes, water features and a wide variety of indigenous fauna – especially birdlife such as guinea fowl, pheasant, peacock and steppe buzzard – and flora, notably the variety of trees which line the fairways. Unlike some other local courses, there is no noise intrusion from roads or railways, and both course and club house enjoy privacy and security. Clovelly’s championship-quality greens (bent grass/poa annua mix) are among the finest in South Africa.
There are quite a few tight holes, but one of the best is the par-4 fourth, with out-of-bounds and a stream on the left, and a green guarded by a water hazard.
Appropriate attire on the golf course and smart/casual dress in the club house areas is expected at all times. Members and visitors are encouraged to adhere to the dress code norms applicable to a premier Club. Only soft-spike shoes are allowed at Clovelly.
ATLANTIC BEACH GOLF ESTATE
Type: Links Golf Course
Holes: 18
Par: 72
Length: Championship 6 344 metres, Club 5 855 metres
The Atlantic Beach Golf Estate is situated in Birkenhead Drive in Melkbosstrand, Blaauwberg, Cape Town. You can enjoy this Championship Links Golf Course with its traditional style and ocean breeze. On calm days you can play your normal loft shot or on windy days you can use firm turf to play low running shots beneath the wind. Either way, it is a challenge we are sure you will enjoy.
Atlantic Beach Golf Links has been built with a serious commitment to the preservation of the indigenous fauna and flora. You are requested to respect this effort by helping to protect the native plants, birds and animals. The Club requests that you observe the post and rail fencing demarcating the environmentally sensitive areas. The combination of good golf in unsurpassed natural surroundings makes Atlantic Beach Golf Links a unique golfing experience.
Situated along the shore of Table Bay, Atlantic Beach is an easy twenty minute drive along the coast to the heart of South Africa’s premier city. Set against the backdrop of Table Mountain, Cape Town is renowned both for its natural beauty and continental charm. From the glitter of the Waterfront and the bustle of its thriving business centre to the tranquil beauty of the botanical gardens and historic wine farms, Cape Town has something for everyone.
Appropriate golf attire is required. No Handicap is required unless entering a competition. Soft spikes required on the golf course.
Atlantic Beach Golf Club was 1 of 10 clubs who won the 5 Star Golfing Experience Award out of 400 + Clubs Nationwide.
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