Four Of The Best Golf Courses In The Cape Province Await Your Visit
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2022-11-09
By Dr. Barry Lotz, Inside Golf
Pinnacle Point Beach & Golf Resort
Pinnacle Point is about 20 minutes away from the Gondwana Game Reserve. Superbly situated close to Mossel Bay on the edge of the magnificent coastline that signals the gateway to the Garden Route, Pinnacle Point epitomizes coastal luxury and exclusive living. This development, especially the golf course, will knock your socks off.
Sure there is Cypress Point, Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes, Kingsbarn, Torrey Pines, and Cape Kidnappers, and they are marvellous but Pinnacle Point is in a class of its own! It’s the new Garden of Eden of golf. Pinnacle Point was recently voted one of the top ten golf courses in the world — it’s that good!
Nestled in an unspoilt natural paradise and embraced by the warm Indian Ocean, Pinnacle Point is situated at the gateway to the Garden Route in South Africa. The resort is just a 3-hour drive from Cape Town and a 20-minute drive from George International Airport, which in turn is only a short 1-hour flight from Cape Town International Airport.
Pinnacle Point lies on a huge property of 400 hectares right at the sea, looks down on four kilometres of spectacular coastline, and boasts dramatic cliff-side holes and over 1,000 hectares of unspoiled beachfront of which 100 is a nature reserve. The championship course was designed by Darren Clarke and Peter Matcovitch, who himself called it the most dramatic course he had ever worked on. Several of the holes are situated right above the ocean.
The emerald green fairways and tees provide the perfect surface for making shots and the bent grass greens will ensure a challenging and entertaining game. The views, especially from the ultra-modern clubhouse, are awe-inspiring with dramatic coastal views of the ocean from all areas of the course. Some of the holes are situated along the cliffside. In addition to this, the natural beauty of the indigenous flora and fauna completes this unique golfing experience. In fact, the resort is home to indigenous wildlife, bird life, and 264 varieties of fynbos — a nature lover’s delight!
Leisure rentals offer luxury accommodation available exclusively at the magnificent Pinnacle Point Estate. Accommodation options include Golf Lodges, Golf Villas, Fynbos Villas, and Luxury Penthouses which were all developed with opulence and comfortable living in mind.
The Lodges boast breathtaking Indian Ocean views; The Villas range from 1-, 2-, or 3-bedroom units ideal for both short- and long-term stays. There are also 4-bedroom luxury Penthouses available which offer all the top-of-the-range finishes a family or small group would require.
All units have access to beautifully landscaped communal gardens as well as swimming pools, which provide the perfect relief after a round of golf or from the spectacular African sun.
Rates start from $125 to $410 per night depending on the time of year and size of the unit. Green fees are $27.50 (R495).
For more information, visit www.pinnaclepointestate.co.za or contact +27 44 606 5300.
Ernie Els’ Oubaai Golf Course
Herold’s Bay, George, Garden Route, Western Cape
Oubaai, an 18-hole Championship Golf Course, is just 8 kilometres from George and approximately 60 kilometres from Knysna. It is also near Herold’s Bay (and his beloved Bosvelt Saloon bar), which is one of his favourite holiday homes. His father, Neels, lives two doors down. Ernie and his team have taken full advantage of the spectacular site they were given. Playing the course, your views and outlooks take in forest, sea, river and mountain — spectacular!
The dramatic golf clubhouse overlooks the 16th, 17th, and 18th greens and offers open-air terraces and panoramic views of the Indian Ocean, Outeniqua Mountains, natural forests, and the Gwaing River Valley.
Not only is the course memorable and scenic, but the course also fairly displays challenges and hazards while affording players the opportunity to use a full range of shots and plan strategically for individual holes. More importantly, it flows so well. Ernie did a magnificent job in his approach to golf course design, which is primarily centred on flexibility and enhancement of the surrounding environment. Concepts are moulded according to the landscape and not vice versa.
Simply stated, Oubaai is spectacular and of championship quality.
Green fees, depending on the time of year, range from $30 to $66 excluding cart ($30).
The stunning natural landscape is matched by exceptional levels of service in one of the most beautiful luxury hotels South Africa has to offer. The 4-star hotel occupies an ideal position between the Indian Ocean and the majestic Outeniqua Mountains.
At the Oubaai Hotel, Golf & Spa, you’re assured of some of the most comfortable, stylish, and best-equipped contemporary hotel accommodations on the Garden Route.
Whether you choose a spacious suite with stunning views, a fully-featured Club room, or a Standard Room that offers a level of luxury that’s anything but standard, this Garden Route accommodation guarantees a relaxing and pleasurable stay in Oubaai.
Rates vary between $170 and $450 per night.
For more information, visit their website at www.oubaai.co.za or contact 011-27-44-851-1234.
The Goose Wine Estate
Hall of Fame’s Retief Goosen’s wine estate (www.thegoosewines.com) is near the town of George (Brenden Grace’s stomping grounds). The Goose Wine range is truly unique as it is handcrafted in high-altitude vineyards on the northern slopes of the Outeniqua Mountains which is in the heart of the Garden Route, South Africa.
The Goose Wine Estate is situated in the Upper-Langkloof appellation, arguably the coldest wine-growing region in South Africa. These extreme climatic conditions ensure unique grapes with a complexity of fruit that is handcrafted into world-class wines.
There are great swimming and surfing beaches that offer a variety of activities. Less than an hour away are the attractive coastal towns of Mossel Bay (think Louis Oosthuizen), Knysna, and Plettenberg Bay, each offering unique cultural and natural highlights and a range of things to do.
Steenberg Hotel & Golf Club
Twenty minutes away from the bustling center of Cape Town is the amazing 5-Star Steenberg Hotel, award-winning winery and golf course. The 30-bedroom hotel nestles in the tranquil Constantia Valley, against the slopes of Steenberg Mountain. It is, without a doubt, the ultimate Cape experience. This luxurious estate is designated as a National Monument and is the oldest wine farm in the Cape Peninsula. The scenery is breathtaking and its championship golf course is outstanding.
Steenberg offers the elegant and exclusive Bistro 1652 and the Terrace Restaurant, a producing wine cellar, and all the facilities of a top-class country hotel, yours to enjoy at whatever pace you choose.
This stunning boutique hotel is a haven of serenity with a choice of 30 elegant, air-conditioned rooms, the best being the contemporary design rooms, rather than those more chintz-clad — housed in the original manor house, barn, and jonkershuis (house of the eldest son). Each en-suite room is tastefully furnished with exquisite antiques and all rooms overlook the vineyards, golf course, or manicured gardens.
These beautifully renovated white-walled Cape Dutch buildings are grouped around a large manicured grass courtyard.
Amenities include an on-site hairstylist and beauty consultant and a gymnasium. Guests can shed their cares and surrender themselves to the upper-level quality of personal service, unique to a small luxury hotel.
The Steenberg golf course is a wonderful golfing experience and is well known for its hybrid design by renowned South African golf course architect, Pete Matkovitch.
Opened in 1995, the course attracts golfers wanting a total golfing experience. Tradition is represented by aprons of bent grass around the greens that allow for the bump and run — a shot rarely seen in South Africa where robust kikuyu grass usually takes this option off the table. The radical hybrid change instituted comes in the shape of sand- and water-protected island greens and waste areas (a la Pete Dye?) hugging entire fairways.
The clubhouse has recently undergone an extensive renovation. Remember, irrespective of your score, you’ll want to try a glass of Steenberg’s stunning merlot at the nineteenth hole.
Yardage: 7,025. Par: 72.
Steenberg Estate, Tokai Road, Tokai, Cape Town. (With Gary Player at Steenberg in August 2022)
011-27-21-715-0227
Greens Fees: $77 (hotel guest), $49 (with member). The golf course is open only to hotel guests and members. Caddies are $22.00!). Please call the golf shop to verify green fees, cart fees and caddie fees.
Rooms: $280–$380. Suites: $600–$700.
+27 21 713 222
On the way back to Cape Town, make sure you visit the Stony Point Penguin Colony at Betty’s Bay, the Haute Cabriere Winery (www.cabriere.co.za) in Franschoek, of which I am a part owner, and Ernie Els’s Winery in Stellenbosch.
Cape Town restaurants are marvellous and with the Rand to Dollar conversion, any restaurant is an unbelievable bargain. You will be hard-pressed to spend $50 for 4 people with wine!
Amongst our favourites and highly recommended are the following restaurants in and around Cape Town:
Bukhara Indian Restaurant – Amazingly consistent, excellent Indian food.
Magica Roma – Italian food at its best- Ask for Etzio.
Nelson’s Eye – Best steaks in South Africa since the 1960s.
Delicious Fish – Hake and chips are awesome. Take out only.
Haute Cabrière Restaurant – elegant dining and outstanding views.
Kleinsky’s Deli - Sea Point – Great breakfasts, bagels and vibe.
Gambas Seafood Bistro, Sea Point – Wonderful seafood especially the prawns.
Chef’s Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic – Gourmet dining and best views in the Cape.
Fish on the Rocks - Hout Bay – fresh fish and marvelous views
For fast food junkies, McDonald’ss, Burger King, KFC, and Subway are ubiquitous throughout South Africa. Try Nando’s, Steers, and Spur for homegrown fast-food restaurants.
The extraordinary people, the scenic beauty, the scrumptious food, and the agreeable weather in South Africa will make a lifetime of memories!
Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America. Visit www.facebook.com/PGTAA to see all the latest mental strategies, travel, and equipment reviews. Currently, he also works with between 10 to 12 PGA TOUR players on the mental side of golf.
He is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America and serves both as a consultant and mediator to the golf industry. He is also the author of numerous books, including “333 Best Web Sites for Golfers” and his previous book, “How to Build Business Relationships through Golf,” updated for 2011, is still in the Top Ten Golf Business Book’s best seller list. His latest book, “The Right Mind for Golf,” is now in its 12th reprint and is available on Amazon and at the Torrey Pines golf course.