Links Along the Cape

For an otherworldly golf trip offering an unfamiliar challenge, visit these links courses along South Africa’s southern coast.

Travel

Links golf is a completely different game than what many golfers around the world are used to playing. A links course typically has few trees, inevitable blind shots, uneven fairways, thick gorse, pot bunkers and huge, undulating greens. Add wind and rain, and the challenge can seem insurmountable. It is not for the faint of heart.
Therefore, of all the majors, the one I enjoy the most is The Open Championship because it is often played on a links-style course. (I must admit that I take some pleasure seeing the top players struggling.) 

So, if you’re looking for a challenge in what may seem a completely foreign landscape, consider links golf. With winter approaching, thoughts of warm-weather golf during the bleak months of January, February and March have certainly crossed your mind. Perhaps four links courses, set in the smallest Floral Kingdom on the planet, surrounded by oceans and mountains, merit consideration. This setting, along the southern coast of South Africa, is in the middle of summer during Minnesota’s long winter and set in the midst of beautiful vineyards—some of which are more than 300 years old. And your dollar goes a long way. 

Here is a quick snapshot of the glorious links golf that awaits.

Milnerton Golf Club
Cape Town
Less than 10 minutes from the center of Cape Town, the hundred-year-old Milnerton Golf Club lies on an island, with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and Rietvlei River on the other. The par-72, 6,425-yard Milnerton has the feel of a true “nine-out, nine-in” links course, despite the inclusion of a housing development in the 1990s. Boasting Kikuyu fairways, outstanding Poa-bent greens and sandy soil, it is a pleasure to play at any time of the year.

With six holes playing next to the beach and a challenging southeaster frequently present, good direction control is a must—and two holes there require your full attention. The 429-yard, par-4 ninth hole (stroke 1) usually plays downwind to a narrow fairway with water all along the right, leading to an elevated green protected by water in front. Aargh! The 408-yard, par-4, 18th hole (stroke 2) is an extremely challenging closing hole. Usually playing into the wind, it has the river along its entire length on the left, with a slight dogleg toward the water just before the green. 

Spectacular views of the fabled Table Mountain, Table Bay and the city skyline make this a must-play course when visiting South Africa’s Mother City. And for those who don’t play golf, water birds abound, well away from wayward balls. Plus, the clubhouse, sitting immediately above the beach, has spectacular views. Perhaps you’ll be lucky and see southern right whales or a pod of porpoises.

The Links at Fancourt 
George
A drive along the N2 over Sir Lowry’s Pass, between the mountains and the ocean, takes you to one of great centers of golf in South Africa: the town of George, huddled beneath the beautiful Outeniqua Mountains. Ernie Els, Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace all hail from this part of the country.

The destination here is The Links at Fancourt. This Gary Player–designed links-style course became famous worldwide for the dramatic finish to the 2003 President’s Cup. Captains Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus eventually agreed to a tie when darkness engulfed the course as Ernie Els and Tiger Woods halved the third overtime hole—the fabulous downhill, 236-yard, par-3 second hole.

The Links at Fancourt is a spectacular links-style course that was created on a disused airport and surrounds by bringing in nearly one million cubic yards of soil to create an undulating, dune-style course open to the frequent winds. 

No matter which tee you play from, every hole is a challenge—sometimes in your face, sometimes subtle. Even the wide fairways don’t reduce the menace of the rough and, as is so often the case, innocuous-looking holes can cause great damage to your score. 

My favorites? The par-3 second hole and the par-3 17th. Both downhill, the former opens to a huge green, the latter to a smaller one guarded by water, front and left. I also enjoy the two tempting, short par 4 holes (six and 14) with plenty of bunkers, and the daunting 18th, across a gully, then uphill to a two-tiered green.

The only way to get a tee time is to stay at the hotel on the property—but it is worth every penny. 

St Francis Links 
St Francis Bay
Three hours’ drive east of George you will find South Africa’s No. 3 course, the Jack Nicklaus Signature St Francis Links, built on the high dunes overlooking St Francis Bay and the Indian Ocean. 

This links-style course makes the most of the beautiful terrain, native fauna and indigenous grasses, giving it a feel of a course far more mature than its youthful 18 years. 

Although it deviates from a traditional links course in several ways—man-made lakes, manicured fairways, plenty of bushes and trees—it plays very much like a traditional links course with plenty of high-risk, high-reward holes. The bent-grass greens are undulating, inviting both bump-and-run and pitching approaches. In a typical southeasterly wind, the holes are evenly divided downwind, into the wind and crosswind.

The first short hole (number four) has two greens, both requiring accuracy when the wind blows. It is also a good example of how Nicklaus catered to players of all skill levels, since the tees range from 170 yards down to 106 yards. In the wind, don’t be surprised to find yourself playing from a tee more forward than you are used to. 

Long hitters may be tempted to go for the short par-4 fifth hole, but I think the risk is too great, particularly because the green is tiny. I like the par-3 17th, which slopes front to back, gathering balls toward the hole. Not surprisingly, it has had more than its fair share of holes-in-one. Finally, the 18th is a wonderful finishing hole, with water down the left to a dogleg to the left. At 437 yards from the back tees, it is a challenge, especially in the wind.

An impressive aspect of the course is that it allows a variety of strategies on most holes, giving golfers of all abilities an opportunity to score well. 

Humewood Golf Club
Gqeberha 
(Port Elizabeth)
Just over an hour’s drive east of St Francis Bay lies Africa’s only true links course—Humewood—sitting on the edge of Algoa Bay in the town of Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth). With most of its holes unprotected and open to the wind, Humewood is a beast when the wind blows and a pussy cat in the rare calm conditions. It is unusual in that there are no homes on the course, giving it a feeling of spaciousness.

As one would expect, uneven fairways and pot bunkers can provide a variety of unexpected challenges. The short (137-yard) par-3 sixth hole can wreak havoc with your score. The elevated green is long and narrow, protected left and right by four pot bunkers. One unfortunate member shot a 29 a few years ago in the club championship. 

The 550-yard dogleg right, par-5 11th is a beautiful downhill hole facing the ocean. After the deceptively easy par-3 12th, the course turns back uphill with the magnificent 444-yard par-4 13th, ranked as one of the top 500 holes in the world. I also liked the short par-4 16th, coming in at 320 yards, tempting long hitters to go for the tiny green well protected by bunkers.

Humewood is a must-play course when you visit South Africa. 

So, don’t pack away your sunscreen and swimming trunks (known as a “costume” or “cozzie” in South Africa) for the winter. Plan a trip to the southern coast of South Africa, which is about the same latitude south as San Diego is north (approximately 33 degrees).