Up, up and away

Alert readers will recall how, a few months ago, we ran a series in which we featured the courses in South Africa that could be found at the furthest points of the compass. We also looked at the highest and lowest tracks, and it was here that we first introduced The Clarens Golf and Trout Estate, the highest golf course in the country.

The scenery

In the north-eastern corner of the Free State, surrounded by the multi-coloured sandstone cliffs of the Rooiberge, Clarens could arguably lay claim to another tag – that of the ‘prettiest golfing location in the country’.

Certainly when winter rolls around and the fairways are covered in frost, while the nearby Maluti mountain range is painted white, it is difficult to imagine a more picturesque setting for a golf course.

Marketed as both a golf and fly-fishing estate – who could ever forget the television advertisements featuring Trevor Quirk, knee-deep in water, casting out his line while waxing lyrical about the new development – the golf course is something of an anomaly for a new estate in that it suffers no delusions of grandeur of being a championship golf course.

Instead, we were delighted to discover a very honest golfing layout that is in superb condition and, falling under the Pinnacle Point Holdings umbrella, visitors to this course can expect the best in service to go with the outstanding course conditioning – with the chances of being disappointed very slim.

The town of about 3 500 permanent residents could understandably battle to sustain a development of this magnitude, but the area has long been considered a wonderful tourist destination for outdoor enthusiasts and art lovers, with trendy outdoor cafés and art galleries lining the streets.

As a part-members, part-holiday golf course, this new Golf Data layout – Clarens was originally a nine-hole members course – really does tick all the right boxes, with medium-length holes, wide landing areas and smooth greens making the course playable and enjoyable for all levels of golfer.

Golf Data’s Robbie Marshall was very happy with how the golf course turned out, saying, “It’s a lovely golf course with some really beautiful holes and I think it will really come into its own over the next few months.”

As the layout is a fairly low-budget project, Golf Data may have chosen to be minimalistic when it came to the greens and tee-boxes, but it cut no corners with regards to the large volume of earthworks and the incorporation of many water hazards on the course.

The cool winter climate forced Golf Data’s hand somewhat when it came to grass variety, and as such the fairways will have a fair smattering of cool-season rye and fescue grass blended with the kikuyu, while the greens are covered in A1-A4 bent grass.

The course

Longer hitters may well feel like they can overpower the course which, at under 6 000 metres for a par 71, is quite short, especially at altitude, but in its defence, Clarens makes use of small, slick and undulating greens, which are certainly not the easiest to hit or hold.

Indeed, even though the opening four holes each measure not much more than 300 metres in length and the par fives are certainly reachable, one still needs to hit a near-perfect approach to the greens in order to pencil in low numbers on the scorecard. The first of four fairly long par threes, the 5th hole, precedes the first of Clarens’ three par fives and, from about 165 metres out, the raised green makes for a difficult target.

Another par-three-par-five combination follows before you reach the 9th hole, the difficult stroke-2 par four, which signifies the beginning of a particularly tricky stretch. Played into the prevailing wind, one needs to judge the approach shot well to avoid dumping your ball into the sloot than runs along the left edge of the fairway and in front of the green. This stretch of holes is characterised by a variety of well-positioned bunkers and plenty of water hazards – meaning that accurate tee shots are essential for good scoring.

After the difficult 390-metre stroke-5 10th, one heads through the subway, under the main road, for a seven-hole stretch where the original nine-hole Clarens golf course was built – although none of the original holes are still in existence.

The only par five on the back nine, the 15th, is a very interesting design, with a split fairway along different levels giving you an interesting choice off the tee. The top fairway (to the left) has an out-of-bounds area to the left, and the lower fairway (on the right) has a water hazard flanking it to the right, while in the middle of the two fairways is a large rocky outcrop. At 530 metres, reaching the green in two is highly unlikely and one therefore needs to focus on the lay-up stroke, a blind shot that brings bunkers and water into play.

There is some relief should you make it through 15 with your score intact, as the 16th is a short 280-metre par four that screams risk versus reward and the 17th is a lengthy par three with a large green at which to aim.

The finish, a testing par four that has water all along the right-hand side of the fairway, represents what the Clarens course is all about – it is not too long and not too tricked up, but should you pay it no respect, you are likely to struggle.

After finishing your round, we suggest retiring to the newly built clubhouse to enjoy a refreshing ale and perhaps catch a Free State sunset. It may be smaller in comparison to the towering clubhouses found at other new courses in the country, yet it is homely, welcoming and tastefully decorated.

As an open-plan design, the bar, lounge and dining area merge and, from a catering perspective, Clarens runs three types of services in a halfway-house menu, a snack menu and a restaurant menu, comfortably catering for the needs of all visitors.

At about two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Johannesburg, staying overnight would be a sensible option and the estate has a number of self-catering villas available – leaving you with enough time for a spot of quality trout fishing on the estate’s stocked trout dam.

With a complete range of facilities, including a full driving range and practice area, putting green and pro shop to go with its high level of service, The Clarens Golf and Trout Estate has ambitions to achieve Compleat Golfer 5-Star Experience status. Not content with being the highest golf estate in the country, it would appear that Clarens is also aiming to be the best – lofty ambitions indeed.

Picture 1

Although the 16th is a short par four of just 280 metres, do not be fooled into thinking it is a pushover, as risky, inaccurate shots will be punished.

Picture 2

As the only par five on the back nine, the 15th’s split green requires some clever play. The sensible golfer will focus on a lay-up stroke to the green which is guarded by water and bunkers.

Picture 3

The par-four 4th hole set against the backdrop of the Maluti mountain range.

Picture 4: The clubhouse

The brand-new clubhouse, although small, has an inviting ‘home-away-from-home’ atmosphere.

Likes...

• The high level of service at the golf club makes you feel truly welcome.
• The shoe-cleaning service at halfway – it’s a nice touch.
• The stunning views of the Maluti mountains.

... and dislikes

• The long walks between some of the greens and the next tee.
• The fact that the tee-markers don’t show the stroke of the hole.
• Houses on the ridge spoil the view of the mountains.

Fact File

Getting there: Take the N3 from Joburg towards Durban.
Take the Villiers offramp (R711) towards Bethlehem (the second Villiers turnoff from Joburg).
Then take the N5 towards Bethlehem and on to Clarens. About 100m past the road into the centre of town you turn right into Fouriesburg. The clubhouse will be on your left.

Course: Mix of rye and kikuyu with bent greens, par 71, 5 829m (men’s), 4 762m (ladies).

Designers: Golf Data/Shaun Quinn

General Manager: Koos Rosslee

Course Superintendent: Thomas Matloga

PGA professional: Emile Bernhardt

Greenfees: Member’s guests R240, visitors R350

Contact : Tel: 058 256 1270 E-mail: golf@theclarens.co.za

Website: www.theclarens.co.za