Where to stay & play
Properties in South Africa
Featured property
African Oceans Manor, Mossel Bay *****
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Seasonal Guide
Best time to play South Africa
Varied. The Cape Winelands are Mediterranean; the Garden Route is mild year-round; Kruger/Limpopo is hot and dry (best Oct–Nov). The golf regions span different climate zones.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Best months
September to November and February to April
When to avoid
December–January (wet season in some regions), June–July (cold in Western Cape)
Flight time
11h direct from London
Currency
South African Rand (ZAR) — excellent exchange rate for GBP travellers
James's Tips for Golfers
- 01 Leopard Creek requires booking 4–6 months ahead — we have relationships but tee times are genuinely limited
- 02 Budget for caddies: tipping culture is important and caddies transform the experience at SA courses
- 03 The Garden Route (George to Plettenberg Bay) is a self-drive golf itinerary — 5 world-class courses in 5 days
- 04 Build in at least one safari stay — Kruger packages combine extraordinarily well with Leopard Creek
- 05 South African rand is favourable for GBP holders — rack rates look expensive in ZAR but convert well
Must-Play Courses
Leopard Creek
18 holes · Par 72 · World top 100. Borders Kruger Park. Hippos, crocs, impala. Extraordinary.
Fancourt — Montagu
18 holes · Par 72 · Host of the 2003 Presidents Cup. George, Garden Route.
Arabella Golf Club
18 holes · Par 72 · Overberg mountains backdrop. Consistently rated top 5 in SA.
Pearl Valley Golf Estate
18 holes · Par 72 · Jack Nicklaus design in the Cape Winelands.
For Non-Golfers
South Africa is arguably the world's best non-golfer destination in a golf trip. The Cape Winelands, Kruger National Park, the Garden Route, Cape Town — any of these would be a standalone holiday. Spouses who don't golf consistently rate South Africa as their favourite golf trip destination.
James's Shortlist
Courses worth the journey.
Fancourt — The Links Course
★★★★★Ernie Els · from £145
Fancourt's Links Course in George is the most underrated golf course anywhere in the world. Ernie Els designed it to play as a genuine links course inland — fescue rough, bounce-and-run fairways, wind exposure that changes the scoring profile entirely from one day to the next. The result is a course that would charge twice what it does and still be considered fair if it were located in Scotland.
Leopard Creek Country Club
★★★★★Gary Player · from £200
Leopard Creek backs onto the Kruger National Park. A wire fence is the boundary between the eighteenth fairway and the reserve. I have played this course in the presence of hippos in the water hazards, crocodiles in the drainage channels, and an elephant that walked along the fence line during the afternoon round. Nobody spoke for four holes.
Ready to plan your South Africa golf holiday?
Speak to a Dormie specialist — someone who has been to South Africa, played the courses, and stayed the hotels. No call centre, no guesswork.