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Golf Breaks
Other Golf Courses in Johannesburg
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Royal Johannesburg & Kensington
There is something rather special about driving into the car park at Royal Johannesburg, this giant among golf clubs. For anyone who appreciates the history of the game in South Africa, there is certainly a sense of occasion when entering the portals of the recently revamped clubhouse, but it is when a player steps onto the 1st tee of the storied East course, it is then that the true golfer’s pulse quickens.
This is not some jumped-up, gimmicky, high-budget course that has recently joined the plethora of estate courses – this is the ‘real McCoy’ – a course that has paid its dues in no uncertain terms and one that deserves respect.
It is fair to say that anyone who is anybody in our golfing history has played here – Royal has hosted every event on the calendar that matters – including seven SA Open Championships – and it is appropriate that this grand old dame was chosen to regularly host Johannesburg’s showcase of professional golf, the Joburg Open. |
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Houghton Golf Club
A visitor to the ‘new’ Houghton, if they had been familiar with the original club, will hardly recognise the place. It may occupy the same real estate, but that is about all. The club now features a new signature Jack Nicklaus layout, a new entrance, a new clubhouse and a very different feel to that of the Houghton of old.
A topic of some debate a few years ago was the reasons behind Houghton falling on hard times, and there is still no clear answer. This club has a rich history, it is situated in one of Johannesburg’s most affluent areas, and at one time had a large membership; in fact there was a waiting list of golfers wanting to join. |
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Serengeti Golf Estate
There are more than 300 courses worldwide that carry the million-dollar signature of the best golfer ever and up until quite recently, Gauteng boasted just one – Pecanwood on Hartbeespoort Dam.
Little wonder then that when Jack Nicklaus hit the opening drive at the Masai Mara course on 19 June last year, Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate entered the Gauteng golfing stage to rapturous applause.
In its marketing material, the estate pegs itself as a ‘designer suburb’ and even a ‘new city’ in Gauteng. And to be sure, although imminently accessible, just 15 kilometres up the road from OR Tambo on the way to Pretoria, it is a fairly secluded piece of real estate, measuring a vast 780 hectares. |
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Wanderers Golf Club
Compared to modern layouts where bigger seems to be considered better and length has become all-important, this course proves that this is not necessarily true. This is a shot-maker’s layout, but importantly, every golfer, no matter how well they may be able to play the game, will enjoy their experience here.
It is understandable why this venue is much favoured by corporates for their golf days. Modern architects may claim to cater for everyone, but few courses are at once genuinely ‘user-friendly’ and can still claim to be a true test – the Wanderers is certainly one of these. As the club’s director of golf Lenn Flanagan points out: “The different challenges of the course is what makes it great – the player will never be bored playing; a range of shots is needed, and there is a strong emphasis placed on chipping and putting well. My favourite holes are probably the 7th, the 11th and the 17th – all excellent examples of risk-and-reward holes. |
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Benoni Country Club
Founded as Van Ryn Golf Club in 1906, like most clubs on the East Rand, Benoni Country Club came into existence due to the discovery of gold, and it was originally a facility established for the employees of the Van Ryn mine. This club’s history predates most of the golfing facilities in the greater Johannesburg area and, although it began its life as a nine-holer, no time was wasted in extending the layout to 18 holes. Even before golf had taken root at the likes of ERPM, Crown Mines, CMR, Houghton, Observatory, Modderfontein and State Mines, the golf club at Benoni was up and running, and it has shown no sign of slowing down since
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