| 29 June 2009 |
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 comments: 29
What may constitute a very difficult course will vary from one golfer to the next, but Compleat Golfer’s course ranking panellists have used careful criteria to identify the 10 toughest tracks in SA. Do you agree with their choice? Vote and stand a chance to win a fourball at the most brutal course in SA.
(A) Atlantic Beach, Western Cape
With out of bounds a severe threat on many holes, particularly when a brisk wind is blowing, this course is at best challenging – at worst a nightmare. The good news is that once a player learns how to play this layout (as with most courses) it does get easier, but the first-time, high-handicap player is in for a torrid time of it. (B) Blair Atholl, Gauteng
From the championship tees with tournament pin positions this course will soon sort out the men from the boys. Even from the club tees, this course demands that approaches be hit high and accurately, or a lot of time will be spent in the bunkers. As if this is not enough to scare off the weaker player, the greens are slick and severely contoured. (C) Elements, Limpopo
This course is a bushveld beauty – but do not expect any favours from the layout. It is long, the rough is penal and the greens complexes are meant to punish the shot that misses the target. The best advice is to stay on the fairways here – always easier said than done. This is a fine layout that does not suffer fools. (D)The Links at Fancourt, Garden Route
This links theme park remains the standard bearer for brutality on the Garden Route. Between the impenetrable grasses, the severe undulations on the fairways and greens and the relentless demands on shot-making skills, it’s enough to bring a grown man to tears. (E) Gary Player Country Club, North West Province
At one time this course was considered to be the toughest in the land, and it still makes demands that average players fail to meet. Even from the forward tees, forced carries and wicked rough can play havoc with a player’s mind, and once the wheels come off it is tough to get them back on. Some of the best players in the world have failed to break 80 here, and they were not playing every hole from the championship tees – need we say more? (F) Humewood, Eastern Cape
A grand old championship links in the classic mould – benign on the occasional calm day, but a fierce proposition when the infamous wind gets up. No trickery to this design – what you see is what you get, and unless players have some experience of playing in the wind, they are in for a tough time.
(G) Pinnacle Point, Garden Route
Beautiful though this course may be, any player hoping to score well when the wind is up is in for a frustrating time. The forced carries, although not that far, will see a few balls being lost, and if an 18-handicapper can break 100 here they have played well. Out best advice is to enjoy the views and forget about your score. (H) San Lameer, KwaZulu-Natal
Stories of golfers running out of ammunition here are legion. Of course, there is a way to play this course without losing balls in the many water hazards, but most golfers have yet to work out how. There are some great holes here, but many that will ruin a scorecard. (I) St Francis Links, Eastern Cape
Just when it was assumed that Jack Nicklaus always designs playable courses that allow for fair margins for error off the tee, the great man came up with this penal test. The classical influences that inspired this design may be lost on many golfers, along with their stock of balls. (J) Wild Coast Sun, Eastern Cape
In calm conditions many a professional has shot the lights out here, but players who do not regularly break 90 on their home courses have little chance of finishing in double digits when the wind is blowing and the white horses are dancing on the waves. Vote for the toughest course and WIN!
To stand a chance of winning a fourball at the toughest course in SA, SMS TOUGH, followed by the letter that corresponds with the course’s name above to 34419. (So, if you think Humewood is the toughest course in SA, you’ll SMS ‘TOUGH F’.) The results will be published on www.compleatgolfer
Reader comments: (29)
•Atlantic Beach
They still owe me 31 good golf balls ...
posted by: Joe on 2010/08/25
•Milnerton
Have you ever played Milnerton in a howling Sout Easter? Wow!!
posted by: Jo Elves on 2009/07/03
•DCC
Durban Country Club has to be up there. There has been no SA open where the pro's are shooting 20 under like at Gary Player CC.Do we say the pro's entering SA open are not the same class?
posted by: Monty on 2009/07/01
•Rough! Rough
With out a doubt Fancourt Links is the toughest, What is frustrating at Elements & Euphoria is the fact that there are no spotters. Playing from the rought is part of the game, Not sure what the reason is why some of these courses do not have caddies or ball spotters. They need to invest some time & money in the training of suitable candidates and will make the round far more enjoyable.
posted by: Brad on 2009/06/30
•wind
A lot of golfers still believe playing in the wind is teeing the ball lower and place it back in your stans, wrong! Go and see a pro and find out that it is the total opposite
posted by: weyers on 2009/06/30
•Including or excluding the weather
unfortunately the coastal courses difficulty is often really dictated by the weather , inland they rely a little more on greens that undulate or 6inch rough 6 foot from the stick.....neither is fun when you're playing badly. Personally , I think the 2 links courses are the toughest (St. Francis and Fancourt) purely from the mental side, each shot needs to be precise.
posted by: Skeev on 2009/06/29
•Killer course
St.Francis Links is the toughest I've played. Windy or not. Elements comes next. Both great beautiful courses. Not sure why Glendower gets a mention. New badly designed and shaped greens with little platforms is not a measure of difficulty. It is a mistake.
posted by: Love Links on 2009/06/29
•dcc
I believe that in 1995 the DCC course had 4 of the toughest holes played on the sunshine tour that year. Enough said
posted by: Keith on 2009/06/29
•Atlantic Beach
I normaly don't loose balls and was told to take extra. I took 10 extras and lost them on the first 9...That wind
posted by: Lishman Joe on 2009/06/29
•Comments
Agree with your choices
posted by: Tony De Sousa on 2009/06/29
•Nonsense
I fail to understand why there is so much prestige attached to difficult courses. The majority of golfers can't enjoy playing on them and they are invariably situated in holiday locations where the casual golfer predominates.
posted by: Nigel on 2009/06/29
•no wind or wind gary player
gary player off the back tees on a windy day is the most difficult course to play .even on a normal day off the back it is most difficult. coastel links courses are very hard to play in the wind.it is a new game all together.it can give a player nightmare's ha ha. try it and see.
posted by: pete on 2009/06/29
•Serengeti
I Played Serengeti on Friday 26 June. Wind was howling. Very difficult. Approach shots are made more diffuclut by the fact that a lot greens are raised. Greens are tough. Good luck trying to get a flat putt.
posted by: rob on 2009/06/29
•Think twice before taking out the driver!
For me Pearl Valley and Atlantic beach together with a good South Easter blowing wow!
posted by: Buck on 2009/06/29
•compl. golfer
oh oh the wild sun. with a strong wind the ball will come back to you. not easy
posted by: j.a. piguet on 2009/06/29
•Rough!!!
Would have to be Euphoria in the Waterberg. I know that the object of the game is to keep your ball on the fairway but by just straying by 2 or 3 meters could mean the end of your round. Great layout though.
posted by: Craig on 2009/06/29
•DEPENDS ON THE DAY
I find the difficult courses make you really concentrate. G Player has always brought out the best in me. The Links has been my greatest challenge and any coastal course with a high breeze always makes life very interesting! Even putting is an art in the wind!Durban C C is a beast in the high wind - even the Prince Of Wales Hole is very tricky then!The new Glendower is tougher but not the toughest!
posted by: Bruce on 2009/06/29
•Glendower
As a member, I found Glendower more difficult after the revamp. The course certainly demands accurate shots, or expect a higher score than your handicap suggests. But a very enjoyable course to play, even though it is tough. Keeps you thinking.
posted by: Michelle on 2009/06/29
•Whew ....
St francis Links is BY FAR the toughest course I have ever played. My game may not have been out of the top draw that day, but to shoot 18 OVER MY HANDICAP was not fun! Sure, I will go back to try again,but it is not a course for high handcapper, and certainly not in the wind!
posted by: Art on 2009/06/29
•perfect summary
Mr. Van Kan just gave a perfect summary of horrible golf course design and shaping when he said "see you hitting great approach shots, and not being rewarded". Nothing summarized bad golf course design better than that quote! I now rest my case.
posted by: Cliff on 2009/06/29
•The Ultimate
Glendower has been reshaped and this is now the ultimate in difficult. Smaller greens with slopes that see you hitting great approach shots and not being rewarded. I would like to see any "TOP" golfer play to their handicap at Glendower.
posted by: John van Kan on 2009/06/29
•Tick
You know, courses like these are great to play for the novelty value, but would I be in a mad rush to go back and play them again? Probably not. I agree that it's not always fun when it's one big struggle.
posted by: Byron on 2009/06/29
•Come to Ibom Golf
Ok, I agree with your point, I do hope that you will venture up to Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, not too much kidnapping going on here... stay at the Le Meridien Ibom hotel and golf, and play this great course, that combines challenge, fairness, and fantastic natural beauty. Have a good day and good golf!
posted by: Cliff on 2009/06/29
•@Cliff
Agreed. It's about the novelty I guess, and for us readers it's about being able to say to our friends that I played "such and such" course. In their latest issue (July I think) Compleat Golfer have an article on the best value courses in South Africa. In these times an article like this is maybe more valuable than one choosing the most difficult (and often the most expensive) courses in SA. But it's still interesting to know which courses are the toughest! Oh, and Leopard Creek should definitely be on the list.
posted by: hacker on 2009/06/29
•But why glorify them
But Hacker, my point is why even glorify with such an article, courses that bring a man to tears, we should glorify great golf courses, and bring to the attention of golf fans those courses that will not only challenge them, but can also bring joy and not just tears. I've been in this business a long time, and golf needs to have equal parts of fun and challenge, all pain is not fun.
posted by: Cliff on 2009/06/29
•@Cliff
I think you may be missing the point - the article doesn't say that tough is good. If a course is going to "bring a grown man to tears" or "scare off a weaker player" then it isn't playable and it isn't necessarily good. It's just challenging.
posted by: Hacker on 2009/06/29
•Tough doesn't always * good
Dear Compleat Golfer, anyone can design a brutal golf course that even Tiger couldn't finish, but that does not mean they have designed a great or even a good golf course. Now if you want to see I great golf course, challenging, but fair, beautiful, and natural, as the General Manager of Ibom Golf Club, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, I would like to invite you to see this fantastic layout!
posted by: Cliff Friedman on 2009/06/29
•Difficult?
What no Leopard Creek ?- It far more difficult than Humewood or the Wild Coast which need wind to make them a challenge.
posted by: Callie Way on 2009/06/29
•Most difficult
Definitely The Links - what a beast! But what about Glendower? Why is it not on your list?
posted by: Louis on 2009/06/29
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