Gary Player Country Club, Sun City

The Gary Player Country Club Course has played host to the world famous, Nedbank Challenge, the first million Dollar competition on the professional circuit. Set in the African Bushveld, and surrounded by the Pilanesberg National Park, the manicured fairways and greens contrast sharply against the Acacia trees and roaming wild animals, just a chip shot over the fence! This is one of our most popular requests for South Africa golf holidays, and is kept in immaculate condition.

Continually ranked as one of the top 3 golf courses in South Africa, the Gary Player Country Club Golf course sets the benchmark for other bushveld courses. It is arguably the most famous course in South Africa because of its association with the Nedbank tournament which is televised across the world every year. This 18-hole golf course has an unassuming start but things start to liven up around hole 4, with a delightful par 3 over water.

The front nine plays slightly longer than the back nine, but the good news is that being at a high altitude your ball will fly a little further. The bad news is that this is a walking course and you can find yourself a little breathless to start with. That is soon forgotten as the surroundings take over and you can enjoy the tranquility of the setting.

It isn’t until the 8th hole that you turn back and catch sight of the hotel complex. Don’t let the view distract you from the work in hand, there are 2 creeks bisecting the fairway that you need to navigate across.

The 9th hole is a joy, with water in front of the green and a clubhouse full of interested spectators! Don’t let the pressure get to you as you hit your approach shot.

The final three holes rival any course in the world with a deceptive par 3 16th and then 2 very tricky par 4’s with a grandstand finish over water. The 17th has the potential to be a true card wrecker, as you must thread your ball across the narrow neck onto a postage stamp green that is surrounded by water.

The Gary Player Country Club course is a walking only course but we would recommend a caddie to carry your bag and assist should your ball leave the lush fairways. There is plenty of water on the course offering true risk-and reward opportunities and a good test for all abilities.

A halfway house snack in included in your green fee but the caddy will cost about R230 plus any additional tip you may wish to give. There are drinks/snacks kiosks dotted around the course should you need to refuel.

Its location just a couple of hours from Johannesburg make it viable for a long weekend holiday from overseas, particularly from Europe where the time difference is minimal.

We offer a number of South Africa golf holidays which include Sun City as part of the tour and we offer combination holidays with a few nights at Sun City then a few nights on safari in the nearby Madikwe Game Reserve or Pilanesburg National Park.

The Sun City Resort offers a number of accommodation options from the 5* Palace Hotel to the 5* Cascades and the 4* Sun City Hotel. For the budget conscious there are the Cabanas. Out of Africa can book overnight accommodation to suit your pocket.

For more information about playing golf at Sun City or other South Africa golf courses, contact us here or call +44 208 249 5919 to speak to our South Africa golf holidays team.