Southern Africa's Golden Triangle

The Gary Player Country Club

Due to the annual “Million Dollar Challenge” (currently hosted by Nedbank), this is undoubtedly South Africa’s most famous course, perhaps the best and at almost 8,000 yards it’s certainly the longest. It is the only Gary Player designed course to bear his name and is clearly his masterpiece. Since opening in 1979, he has tweaked it incessantly over the years - a huge bunker was being relocated whilst we played - and every shot needs concentration to avoid the awaiting water, rough, bunkers, run-offs and the highlight: the greens. Blink and a four-putt is all too easily possible.

Remember you are at altitude and your ball will carry perhaps 10 per cent further, a very welcome factor on such a long track.

The first gets you nicely away and doesn’t ask too many questions if you are trying to get used to your rentals, but the tricky par-5 second immediately reminds you where you are. The eighth and ninth provide as tough a finish to a nine as you’ll find – both are brilliantly strategic holes – and it is just as well that a stop after nine holes is mandatory.

I feel for anyone being put out on the back nine first, as the par-5 10th would be a brutal introduction with its narrow fairway and tiny green. This is immediately followed by perhaps the toughest driving hole on the course, the dogleg 11th. Best to get your breath back on the next few holes because, from the 15th on, the finish is one of the most challenging in the world, with the 18th a superb closer, especially with a tournament on the line.

Timing your visit is important with the firmer courses conditions of the dry season making it play considerably shorter. The rough is less penal then too.