I get asked the question a lot, “what’s next on your bucket list?” There are so many great golf destinations around the world, and some may not come to mind as quickly as others. That’s the case with South Africa, which was at the top of my bucket list 5 years ago when I had the opportunity to lead a group to this unique country.
I had heard tons about the experiences in South Africa from colleagues in the industry, clearly a destination that was unlike any other when it comes to a golf experience. But obviously it’s not just about the golf…far from it.
I had heard tons about the experiences in South Africa from colleagues in the industry, clearly a destination that was unlike any other when it comes to a golf experience. But obviously it’s not just about the golf…far from it.
But let’s start with the golf. We started our adventure heading to likely the most popular golf resort in the country in Fancourt, located on the south coast of the country, a few hours east of Cape Town. Fancourt is well known in the golf world, most notably as the host of the 2003 President’s Cup, which famously ended up in a tie after a three hole playoff between Tiger Woods and Ernie Els couldn’t decide anything.
Fancourt has three fantastic golf courses, led by arguably the best course in the country, The Links. The Links is as challenging a course as you would like if played from the back tees, but also provides an enjoyable experience for the average player. The three courses each offer a different experience and are all enjoyable to play. On top of that, the resort is top notch, offering great dining along with a 5 star spa facility.
| From Fancourt, we drove the Garden Route over to Cape Town, and stayed at the beautiful Table Bay Hotel in the V&A Waterfront. The waterfront offers plenty of dining and shopping options for your non-golf days, but golf is why we were there, so we played a couple of rounds in the popular wine region of Stellenbosch. After each round we enjoyed a great wine experience, with the one that stands out the most being our visit to the Ernie Els winery. |
| We had a full non-golf day while in Cape Town and took the opportunity to visit Table Mountain, which offers incredible views over the city; and also travel down to Boulders Beach to visit the African penguins. |
| | As amazing as the first 11 days of the trip were, they didn’t come close to matching the last 4 days, spent at the incredible Lukimbi Safari Lodge, which is located within the Kruger National Park. To say this was a life changing experience may not be doing it justice. We had two game drives a day, one at dawn, the other in the evening, and saw all of the Big 5 animals along with many others. |
While at Lukimbi, we played one of the other top courses in the country in Leopard Creek, home to the DP World Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Championship. The course sits adjacent to the Kruger National Park and many a wild animal has been known to walk alongside golfers during their round.
Despite having ticked South Africa off of my bucket list, it remains high on my list of places to re-visit, as it’s an experience unlike any other in the world of golf travel. If you’re interested in visiting this special destination, please call us to find out more.
Despite having ticked South Africa off of my bucket list, it remains high on my list of places to re-visit, as it’s an experience unlike any other in the world of golf travel. If you’re interested in visiting this special destination, please call us to find out more.
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