The Guide To South Africa's Great Golfing Getaways

The Guide To South Africa's Great Golfing Getaways

Is South Africa good for golf? Yes, with over 450 golf courses, South Africa ranks among the world's top golf destinations yet remains surprisingly under the radar for international travellers. For UK golfers in particular, it offers the perfect winter sun escape: overnight direct flights, virtually zero jet lag, and Championship parkland, links and bushveld courses designed by legends like Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. Whether you are looking for a focused golfing getaway at a luxury resort or a multi-centre tour combining world-class greens and spectacular scenery, South Africa delivers an unparalleled experience.

Key Takeaways

• Zero Jet Lag: Overnight flights from the UK with only a 1–2 hour time difference mean you can comfortably tee off the day you land.
• 450+ Courses: South Africa has the highest concentration of golf courses on the African continent, ranging from coastal links to big-sky bushveld layouts.
• Signature Design Pedigree: Play courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, (Pearl Valley), & Gary Player, (Sun City).
• Safari & Golf Combo: Combine a Big Five game drive at dawn with an afternoon tee time at the exclusive Leopard Creek — one of the most unique golf experiences on earth.
• Four Distinct Golf Regions: Cape Winelands, the Garden Route, the North West bushveld (Sun City), and the Kruger each offer a completely different golfing landscape.
• 100% Tailor-Made: Africa Travel builds fully personalised itineraries, from the tee times to the transfers, ensuring a seamless luxury golf experience.

South Africa Golf Resorts: Comparative Table

Comprehensive Golf Destination Guide

1. Cape Town: The Table Bay Hotel

Cape Town is one of the world's great cities and, for golfers, one of its most rewarding destinations. The combination of spectacular coastal topography and the rolling hills of the Cape Winelands creates a dramatically varied golfing canvas. The Table Bay Hotel, ideally located on the V&A Waterfront, is our recommended base: well connected to the highway network for quick access to the region's top fairways.

The Golf Experience
Must-play courses in the region include:

• Royal Cape Golf Club: South Africa's oldest golf club (est. 1885), a classic parkland Championship course with a deep history and manicured fairways.
• Milnerton Golf Club: A genuine links-style course hugging the shores of a coastal lagoon, with Table Mountain as a constant backdrop. One of the most scenic rounds in the Western Cape.
• Clovelly Country Club: A beautifully kept parkland course nestled in a valley, offering a technical and enjoyable round for all handicap levels.
• Pearl Valley Golf Estate: The undisputed highlight. This Jack Nicklaus signature course in Paarl has hosted multiple South African Opens and is widely regarded as one of the finest parkland courses in the country.

Golf Course Landscape View
Imagine teeing off at Pearl Valley's signature par-5, with rows of vine trellises lining the fairway, the Paarl Rock mountain formation dominating the horizon, and the still waters of a lake hazard reflecting the early morning light. It is wine country golf at its most visually spectacular.

Best Time of the Year to Go: November to March. Cape Town's summer brings long, dry, sunny days, providing the perfect window to escape the UK winter.

2. The Garden Route: The Plettenberg Hotel

The Garden Route stretches 300km along South Africa's Southern coastline and has been a firm favourite with golfers for decades. The region's courses combine the feel of traditional seaside links with dramatic clifftop scenery. The Plettenberg Hotel is perfectly positioned in the heart of Plettenberg Bay, offering easy access to some of the finest courses in the country, most within a 30-minute drive.

The Golf Experience
Standout courses to experience include:

• Pezula Championship Course: Designed by Ron Kirby, this clifftop masterpiece is consistently ranked among South Africa's top 10 courses. Elevated tee boxes, indigenous forest corridors and panoramic views of the Knysna Heads make every hole a visual event.
• Simola Golf & Country Estate: A dramatic Jack Nicklaus-designed course perched high above Knysna Lagoon, offering both scenic beauty and serious challenge for mid-to-low handicappers.
• Plettenberg Bay Country Club: A more relaxed, classic parkland course with a genuine links feel.
• Goose Valley Golf Club: Set amid natural fynbos and indigenous vegetation, offering sweeping views of Plettenberg Bay and the surrounding mountains.

Golf Course Landscape View
At Pezula, you stand on a tee box 150 metres above the coastline. Below you the Indian Ocean stretches endlessly; ahead the fairway drops through walls of indigenous coastal forest. It is one of the most dramatic tee shots in world golf.

Best Time of the Year to Go: September to April. Spring and Autumn offer the most pleasant conditions: warm, manageable winds, and lush courses.

3. North West Province: Sun City Resort

Sun City is one of Africa's most iconic resort destinations and the spiritual home of South African Championship golf. It hosts the prestigious Nedbank Golf Challenge, often dubbed one of Africa's most prestigious tournament events, and has welcomed the world's greatest players to its fairways. The resort offers luxury accommodation right on the doorstep of the courses, including the extraordinary 5-star Palace of the Lost City.

The Golf Experience
Sun City boasts two world-class Championship courses:

• Gary Player Country Club: Host of the annual Nedbank Golf Challenge, this is a classic tournament-standard bushveld course. Firm kikuyu fairways, strategic water features and tight tree-lined fairways demand precision from every level of golfer.
• The Lost City Course: Arguably Sun City's most theatrical round of golf. Designed through dramatic volcanic rock formations and tropical gardens, the course is famous for its 13th hole, where a lake hazard is home to over 30 Nile crocodiles.

Golf Course Landscape View
The Lost City Course plays through a landscape that feels almost prehistoric. Standing on the 13th tee, looking out over the infamous crocodile lake towards a green framed by palm trees is an experience no golfer ever forgets.

Best Time of the Year to Go: May to October. The dry winter season brings crisp, sunny days and minimal rainfall, keeping the courses in magnificent condition.

4. George: Fancourt

Fancourt is South Africa's most acclaimed golf estate and one of the finest golf resorts in the world. Set in a 600+ hectare estate outside George, it famously hosted the 2003 Presidents Cup and remains a landmark in world golf history. As a pure golf destination, Fancourt is exceptional, offering an immersive, world-class sporting environment.

The Golf Experience
Fancourt boasts three completely distinct experiences on the same estate:

• The Links: The jewel in Fancourt's crown. Restricted exclusively to members and hotel residents, it is a stunning recreation of a traditional Scottish or Irish links course, complete with undulating dunes, deep pot bunkers, fast fescue turf and sweeping sea-breeze winds.
• The Montagu: A challenging, tree-lined parkland course with generous but technically demanding fairways.
• The Outeniqua: A more open, scenic design offering beautiful mountain views and a highly enjoyable round.

Golf Course Landscape View
The Links at Fancourt is visually astonishing: bunkers and fairways that could belong to Carnoustie or Royal Portrush, yet framed by South African mountain ranges and wide African skies.

Best Time of the Year to Go: September to April. The Links play especially well in Autumn when the course firms up.

5. Safari Country: Leopard Creek

Leopard Creek is not simply a great golf course; it is one of the most extraordinary sporting experiences on earth. Ranked consistently among Africa's top-3 courses, this exclusive members-only layout borders the Kruger National Park, separated from the wild only by the Crocodile River. Access is strictly reserved for guests staying at a select number of luxury safari lodges.

The Golf Experience
Leopard Creek is a parkland-style course with a dramatic bushveld character entirely its own. The fairways wind through indigenous African bush, with the river forming a natural boundary. It is entirely common to pause a round while a herd of impala crosses the fairway or elephants move through the treeline. There is no course like it anywhere in the world.

Golf Course Landscape View
Picture lining up a putt on the 18th green as the sun sets over the Crocodile River, hippos grunting in the shallows, and the silhouette of the Drakensberg Escarpment glowing orange in the distance. This is the definition of a bucket-list round.

Best Time of the Year to Go: May to October. The dry season offers crisp, clear golfing days and peak wildlife visibility on the course and in the Reserves.

Featured Golfing Itineraries by Africa Travel

If you want to experience the true diversity of the region's world-class greens, our specialists have curated these signature journeys. We build 100% tailor-made itineraries, so if you wish to adjust the courses, dates or add new destinations, simply contact us to create your bespoke trip.

• Ultimate South Africa Golf (from £3,790)
  An immersive journey taking in the absolute highlights of the Cape Winelands and the Garden Route’s most prestigious fairways. Perfect for those who want to experience the best coastal and parkland courses in the country.
• South Africa Golf & Game Drives (from £5,980)
  The absolute bucket-list trip. This itinerary flawlessly blends thrilling Big Five safaris with world-renowned Championship bushveld courses, including exclusive access to the legendary Leopard Creek.
• South Africa & Mauritius Golfing Adventure (from £5,295)
  Combine the rugged, dramatic courses of South Africa with the tropical paradise and immaculate resort fairways of Mauritius for a twin-country golf expedition like no other.

Why Book Your Golf Holiday with Africa Travel?

Planning the perfect golf holiday in South Africa requires expert knowledge of which courses are playing their best, which luxury lodges give you exclusive access, and how to build an itinerary that flows seamlessly from the first tee to the 18th hole.

• 30+ Years of Specialist Expertise: We have deep relationships across South Africa's finest golf resorts and luxury lodges.
• 100% Tailor-Made Itineraries: No two golfers are the same. We build your itinerary around your preferred courses, handicap, travel dates and budget.
• Exclusive Access: We know how to secure tee times on restricted, members-only courses like Leopard Creek and The Links at Fancourt.
• Seamless Logistics: From direct flights and car hire to private transfers between bush lodges, every detail is managed so you can focus entirely on your game.

Call our expert team: 020 7843 3500
Or enquire online to build your tailor-made quote at africatravel.com

8 Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is South Africa a good golf destination for UK travellers?

South Africa is exceptional for UK golfers and arguably under-appreciated. Direct overnight flights with virtually no jet lag, a 1-2 hour time difference and ideal winter-sun weather make it one of the most practical and rewarding long-haul golf destinations available.

2. What is the best time of year to go on a golf holiday in South Africa?

It depends on your destination. For Cape Town and the Garden Route, November to April offers the best Summer weather. For Sun City and Leopard Creek, May to October is ideal: the dry season keeps courses in perfect condition and provides the best game-viewing visibility.

3. Can I combine a Big Five safari with my golf trip?

Absolutely. South Africa is one of the few places in the world where this is genuinely possible. Our South Africa Golf and Game Drives itinerary is specifically designed to give you the ultimate blend of wildlife encounters and Championship golf.

4. Do I need a car for a South Africa golf holiday?

For Cape Town and the Garden Route, car hire gives you the freedom to explore the Winelands, the coastline, and to drive between courses at your own pace. For resort destinations like Sun City or remote safari lodges, private transfers are highly recommended and seamlessly integrated into our itineraries.

5. Is The Links at Fancourt open to the public?

No. The Links is exclusively reserved for Fancourt Hotel guests and estate members. Booking your tailor-made trip through Africa Travel guarantees you access to this world-class course.

6. How do I get access to Leopard Creek if it is members-only?

Africa Travel books you into select partner luxury lodges - such as Sabi Sabi, Leopard Hills or Singita - that hold exclusive guest access agreements with Leopard Creek, arranging private transfers directly to the clubhouse.

7. Are caddies available on South African golf courses?

Yes. Most premium golf courses in South Africa offer both golf carts and experienced local caddies. Using a caddie is warmly recommended: they provide invaluable local knowledge and it is a meaningful way to contribute to local employment.

8. What does a luxury golf holiday in South Africa cost?

Costs vary depending on the exclusivity of the courses, the luxury level of your lodges, and whether you include multi-country extensions or safaris. Our featured premium itineraries range from £3,790 to £5,980 per person, which include flights, accommodation, transfers or car hire, and rounds of golf. Africa Travel specialises in building bespoke quotes tailored precisely to your budget and golfing ambitions.