HERMANUS
WHALES & STAYS ACCOMMODATION
Hermanus & Winelands Golf Courses & Stay Experiences
The Hermanus Whales and Stays site offer you a golf directory with the best Western Cape Golf and Play and Stays Experiences. We're firm believers that no holiday can ever be complete without some of those special activities like golf. Our play and stays destinations all have something special to offer you and bookings are made on best available comparative rates direct with estates via our Nightsbridge Realtime Availability book facility. Try any of these Hermanus Coastal District and Winelands courses and the related Cape Whale Coast guest accommodation and stay options for unforgettable South African Whale Coast golf holiday play and stays.
Hermanus Golf Course
In 2006, this classic country course has undergone a major overhaul with the introduction of nine new holes, based around a new real estate component, and the charming and gentle layout of the past has been replaced with modern classically designed holes, that have added much to both the visual and challenging aspects of the course, without losing any sense of its former tradition. This tradition, created by original designer Bob Grimsdell, which was based around the gentle mountain surrounds, sea views and country hospitality, and though those ingredients remain, this golfing venue has truly reached a new level. This is not surprising, as South Africaās foremost golf course architect, Peter Matkovich, was retained to infuse his special brand of flair and experience to maximise the potential on this scenic and gentle landscape. The flair is immediately noticeable in the use of new water and rocky features, as well as the introduction of visually pleasant grassy mounds adding definition and shape to the holes.
Superb new greens and bunkering have been introduced to the course that has been considerably lengthened. The upgrade and redesign are in conjunction with the introduction of real estate pockets that have been cleverly interspersed into this environment without impacting on the original charm of the golfing experience. The new residents on the estate and regular visitors will tell the first time visitor that the popularity of the area has in recent years been augmented by international visitors, who have discovered that Hermanus has the best land-based whale-watching in the world. The Hermanus Whale Festival, held annually, has become one of the Capeās most attended events and the Southern Right whales are pleased to entertain us while they return to calve in this delightful part of the Cape. (Text courtesy of Larry Gould)
ā
Average Round: ZAR
Devonvale Golf Course
Devonvale is a world class championship golf course, working wine farm and residential estate offering upmarket accommodation, conferencing & event opportunities.
Just 5 minutes outside the historic town of Stellenbosch, you will find a true jewel nestled amongst the Bottelary Valley hills - right in the heart of the Cape Winelands.
The magnificent 18-hole championship golf course needs little introduction offering a regular challenge to both local and international golfers. The original layout, designed by Ken Elkin, who designed many of the Capes better known courses, has seen several improvements of late. The introduction of indigenous plants and the removal of alien trees have not only beautified the environment, but have created panoramic vistas of the surrounding vineyards and mountains. Playing here early ābefore the fieldā must rate as the most peaceful golfing experience possible, which residents will have on their doorsteps.
The kikuyu fairways and bent greens are manicured with the utmost care to ensure a pleasant and true golfing experience. Standing on the first tee, one immediately senses the natural beauty of the winelands, one of the main reasons the course is enjoyed by members and visitors time after time.
We pride ourselves in being the only golf course that can boast an Arboretum and have over 45 tree and plant species marked out across the course.
Average Round ZAR
Erinvale Golf Estate
You can now play and stay the prestigious Erinvale Golf Course in the Cape Winelands. This course was designed by legendary golfing mastermind Gary Player. The 18-hole course has fast become renowned throughout the golfing fraternity for its all-round enjoyment and level of challenge. The course is enjoyed year round by local and overseas players. Visit the impressive club house which provides all the appropriate amenities for a superb golferās holiday, including an outstanding Pro Shop. The 1996 Golf World Cup had thirty-two participating nations compete at the Erinvale Golf Estate. The international golfers found the course both a golfing challenge and visual delight. Erinvale also hosted the 2005 South African Airways Open at the Club, showcasing up-and-coming South African golf talent.
The Erinvale golfing experience is comprised by two distinctly different nines. The first nine is played through the flatter residential part of the estate, while the back nine makes its way upwards on the slopes of the magnificent Helderberg Mountains. The course allows you true golf enjoyment, and taking in beautiful sea and mountain views. Combine the challenge of a Gary Player designed golf course, the breath-taking Cape Winelands, sea and mountains views and see why Erinvale Golf Course is the place to visit. Book your round today.
In the Beginning...
In 1988, a Pretoria based property company, Bester Brothers owned the property and intended to develop it into a high-density 1200 ā stand suburb of Somerset West, the likes of which they had being developing for years in the Transvaal.
As the area was then zoned and bordered a nature reserve and two historical farms, this type of development wasāt popular in local circles. One of the neighbors, David Gant, the owner of Lourensford Estate, decided that the only way to ensure an appropriate development was to buy the farm and develop the land himself.
He invited Ian Player, South Africaās best-known environmentalist at the time to view the area. At Ianās suggestion he contacted Gary Player, Ianās brother, with the idea of developing a residential golf course. Despite not being a regular golfer, Gant no doubt knew about the success of the few other golf estates in South Africa at the time.
Gary came, was suitably impressed, and soon after the decision was made to construct the first golf estate in the Cape Town area.
Average Round: ZAR
De Zalze Golf Estate
Welcome to the De Zalze Winelands Golf Estate, the home of the De Zalze Golf Club, hosts of The World Amateur Team Championships (Eisenhower & Espirito Santo trophies) as well as the largest ever SA Amateur Championships in 2006.
The 300 hectare Winelands Golf Estate offers golfers and visitors the opportunity to enjoy wine tasting, picturesque luxury accommodation and dining at Terroir Restaurant, all hosted on the Estate. Golfers and visitors can also relax on the terrace at the spectacular clubhouse where they can enjoy superb breakfasts and lunches. This Golf Estate has proved to be one of the most sought after real estate investments in South Africa, having achieved record sales since launching in 2002. "Come and enjoy a walk in the Winelands!"
De Zalze Golf Club is committed to:
Fair Wages and Working Conditions
Fair Distribution of Benefits
Ethical Business Practice
Respect for Human Rights, Culture and the Environment
Average Round: ZAR
Strand Golf Club
The new Strand Golf Club opened in 1994 after being relocated from the old course on Gordonās Bay Road (where Greenways Estate is now). The new championship layout proves an exciting challenge for golfers of all abilities.
In the intervening years, the course has matured greatly and a feature has been the attention given to the manicuring and maintenance of the surrounds. This is immediately noticeable from the upstairs terrace of the modern clubhouse as you look over the finishing hole and the sparkling water features with the beautiful Hottentots Holland mountains as backdrop.
The prominent features of the course are the abundant water hazards and bunkers, undulating greens and tree-lined fairways. Many of the holes on the back 9 play in semi-links style.
The Club was also awarded by the Complete Golfer as āThe Most Improved Course in the Cape for 2007ā. An award of which the members are enormously proud.
The Strand Golf Club has been known for its greens over the years which have provided an excellent putting surface. There are several tee boxes (championship, club, senior and ladies) on each hole, which makes for approximately five hundred metre difference between championship tees and club tees over the 18 holes. In 1994, two and a half thousand trees were planted on this course and they are now becoming very much part of play.
The course is situated adjacent to the popular holiday coastal town of the Strand. This area is famed for its long stretch of unspoiled beach.
Average Round: ZAR
Paarl Golf Course
Our updated course was the first 27 hole facility in the Western Cape and provides plenty of challenge and interest for golfers of every ability and age. Some holes meander along the Berg River while many are tree-lined lush green channels which present the golfer with an exciting mix of risk and reward. Others feature spectacular mountain backdrops and glorious views across the valley. Water hazards provide an attractive and challenging feature, while colourful gardens border many of the holes.
The Club has hosted some of South Africaās Sunshine Tour Events with great success, as well as the 2007 South African amateur championship. The Club provides a home for many local, regional and national corporate golf days, which draw great praise for the quality and friendliness. It hosts a large list of annual events, culminating in the annual Winelands festival which has been run since 1979.
Visitors from around South Africa and many countries of the world praise the warm friendly and visually stunning experience that is Boschenmeer Golf Estate.
āAverage Round: ZAR
Oubaai Golf Club
The layout of the course is a traditional Links layout where veld grasses line the lush fairways. The course measures 6516m from the pro tee's which is uniquely long for a Coastal course. Oubaai offers a wonderfully stimulating and enjoyable golfing experience.
āAverage Round: ZAR
Pinnacle Point Golf Course
The Pinnacle Point Golf Course is something truly unique for the discerning golfer. This 18 hole championship golf course was designed by well-known South African golf course architect Peter Matkovich who opened the course together with top Irish Tour Golf Professional Darren Clarke in November 2006.
Darren Clarke, who was also involved with many aspects of the Pinnacle Point course design, has said that Pinnacle Point is ā... the best golf course on the planet.ā Pinnacle Point was selected as one of the Top Ten New Golf Courses of the World by the American publication Travel & Leisure in January 2007.
This Clifftop Fynbos Golf Course inspires the golfer to play this challenging layout with a level of respect due to its dramatic views and breathtaking terrain. The 72 par layout is characterised by 7 majestic holes that line the Indian Ocean rock cliffs, four of which are played over ocean and cliff. All 18 holes have been designed to fit the contours of the land.
The reintroduction of the endemic fauna and flora to the estate has been hailed as a remarkable achievement by local and international ecologists and the preservation of this pristine Fynbos is an ongoing commitment by the Pinnacle Point Beach and Golf Resort.
Pinnacle Point has received the ultimate accolade and is recognised for its outstanding service standards, having been awarded the Compleat Golfer 5-star Experience Award. Assessment is based on various categories, including clubhouse facilities, golf course, halfway house, practice facilities, customer service quality, price/value relationship, services offered and ambiance. Recognising performance excellence in the golfing world and seen as the 'Oscars' of the golfing industry, the Compleat Golfer 5-Star Experience Awards, celebrates the top 25 South African clubs that represent the country's finest golfing experiences. The Pinnacle Point golf course, which is open to the public, has gone from strength to strength and is now rated as one of the top courses in the world.
Lemon Butta restaurant is situated upstairs in the Village Square complex along Marine Drive in Hermanus. The breathtaking view spans the entire coastline and across to Kleinbaai making it one of the best places for whale watching.
āAverage Round: ZAR
Arabella Golf Course
Please Note: Arabella Golf Club (AGC) will be undergoing an irrigation upgrade with the project commencing on 1 July 2013 and the projected completion date being 30 November 2013. All 18 holes will remain open, with relatively minimal disruption to golfers as a maximum of 2.5 holes will be worked on at any given time. Golfers will receive the same five star experience that they have become accustomed to and the course will remain at the highest standard through this process.
*Please see the Golf Course Maintenance tab for updated information on the Hollow Tining progress.
Surrounded by the magnificent Kogelberg mountain range and Bot River Lagoon, and edged by wild fynbos, the picturesque Arabella Golf Course is the ideal place to pursue a passion for golf and enjoy an ideal golf holiday. The fabled 18-hole, Par 72 Championship course has consistently been ranked in the top 10 courses in South Africa (currently ranked #4 in South Africa by Golf Digest magazine). The 8th hole has been described as one of the most beautiful par 5's in South Africa and the 18th hole was rated one of the finest finishing holes in the country.
The course was designed and built by the highly acclaimed South African golf course architect Peter Matkovich in 1999. Since then, many professionals and celebrities have enjoyed the Arabella Golf experience, including Jack Nicklaus, Samuel L. Jackson, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Ronan Keating, Lee Westwood, Tim Clark and Gary Player.
Your golf journey will take you through breathtaking scenery, pristine kikuyu fairways, challenging bunkers and water hazards; and will then test your skill on immaculate dominant-bent greens. All of which receive frequent high praise from golf professionals and amateurs alike.
Dine in style while watching the whales only a stones throw away, in one of the best Hermanus restaurants. Enjoy fabulous food and funky atmosphere in a trendy environment complimented by our award winning wine list.
For an absolutely unique dining experience, perfect for special occasions, offering a warm and cosy atmosphere, breathtaking views and an excellent fusion of South African and Mediterranean style food.
āAverage Round: ZAR
The Links at Fancourt Golf Club
The Links at Fancourt has often referred to as his greatest design feat. The Links, Montagu & Outeniqua golf courses are all ranked in the Top 20 in South Africa. The Links is listed in 30th place by the Golf Digest magazine (US Conde Nast publication) in their Top 100 courses outside of the US.
Since opening in the early 90's with just 27 Gary Player-designed holes, Fancourtās Outeniqua and Montagu golf courses have matured and developed into two of the finest 18-hole parkland layouts in the country. A round on either is a special experience, sculpted and finished as they are, with rare attention to detail and designed with the coastal George winds in mind.
The Links at Fancourt is without doubt the most impressive piece of golf design and construction ever in South Africa. Fancourt owner Dr Hasso Plattner, who took a very hands-on approach in the creation thereof, commissioned a golf course, which would not only be a thorough test for every golfer, but would also rank among the top courses in the world.
Playerās design team spent months studying the classic links courses of Scotland and Ireland and then, armed with inspiration from the best that those countries had to offer, embarked on the ambitious task of recreating some of their finest holes to make a genuine links test on what was once an airfield.
This International Award Winning Restaurant is situated on the shores of Walker Bay and is carved into the depths of a century old cave extending over the rocks to the waters edge. It is in the heart of the best land-based whale watching area in the world and is a prime tourist attraction in one of the most beautiful Marine Reserves in the Western Cape, overlooking the only whale sanctuary on the African continent.
āAverage Round: ZAR
STELLENBOSCH GOLF CLUB
Stellenbosch Golf Club has already celebrated its centenary, but it was only in 1953 that it grew from a 9-hole course into 18 holes. It has a championship layout that has hosted many prestigious tournaments in the past. Amongst others, the South African Open and South African Masters were hosted at this picturesque 18-hole layout. The 1999 SA Open at Stellenbosch Golf Club proved to be one of the toughest Opens in the last decade.
Golf Course
18-hole, par 72, Kikuyu grass with Bent greens
Special Features
Aesthetic views of mountains from clubhouse balcony
Surrounded by vineyards
Nestled in the heart of some of the worldās most famous farms
Par 3 7th is the signature hole
4th Oldest golf club in South Africa
Wide variety of the finest South African wines
āAverage Round: ZAR