A Golf Course Review of the Gary Player designed Blair Atholl Golf Resort, Johannesburg, South Africa

How do you know when you have experienced something extra special?

 

Maybe you get pins and needles? Maybe you get a warm fuzzy feeling? Maybe you just smile when you think about the experience?

 

For me, I know because several days after being there I am still talking about it. Or in this case many weeks later I am still recounting my experience to anyone who’ll listen. You see, on a recent trip to see family in South Africa I had the privilege of being invited to play Blair Atholl – and boy oh boy is it special!

 

Gary Player’s family have had their family home here for 25 years so when Player decided to develop this into a golf estate it wasn’t just another project to add to the list of over 200 golf courses he has developed worldwide.  This really was a personal labour of love. The result is probably one of the finest golfing experiences you could have anywhere in the world and it certainly will rival Player’s lovely courses at Sun City and Leopard Creek for the title of the best course in (South) Africa.

 

It is a relatively new course, less than 2 years old, but with the magnificent views of the oldest mountain range in the world, ‘The Magalies’, and the Cradle of Mankind just around the corner, you could be forgiven in thinking that this course has been here for an age.

 

 

 

With a championship golf course, its own nature reserve, equestrian facilities and a sumptuous golf course this estate really has it all. The only problem is getting on - and when you do (if you are that lucky) then you have to pay 650 Rand a round which by South African standards is close to an average monthly mortgage payment!  Memberships are only open to individuals who buy a plot of land on the estate - and if the houses that have been built so far are anything to go by then this will not be your typical golf estate (with only 1 house every 2 hectares).  It is a class above anything I have ever seen anywhere.

 

I was fortunate enough to play as a member’s guest. If you are unfortunate enough not to know a member then can I suggest you; a) start networking or b) resign yourself to the fact that you’ll have to resort to studying the course from the comfort of your sofa when one day, which surely is inevitable, it hosts a major televised golf tournament. The course is certainly good enough and long enough to test the best players in the world and I for one would love to see how they cope with the challenge of the longest course in South Africa.

 

Roy Yates, the very welcoming Director of Golf and Class A Professional was telling me that they set it up to play at 8,300 metres for the club championships and the winning score was 80....by a +2 handicapper!  Now Joburg is above sea level so your ball does fly a little further than normal, but not that much more!

 

We played it off the blue tees at only 6,807 metres and it was still a stern test with a standard scratch score of 74 against a par of 72.  It plays 7,536 metres off the Gold tees with a SAGA rating of 77!

 

The layout of the championship course is characterised by rolling hills and ravines sloping down to the winding Crocodile River which flows through the area.   Water comes into play on 11 holes and there are a series of spectacular holes including the par 3, 172 metre 3rd hole, which is reminiscent of the infamous 12th at Augusta, and the 8th a 190 metre downhill par 3 over water. This hole comes just before what has to be “the best halfway house in golf”!

 

What better way to follow a par 3 on the tricky stroke index 8 then a short buggy drive to a deck overlooking the river on which is served a tea fit for royalty at The Ritz. My eyes almost popped out of my head, when I saw the cake stand replete with Cornish pasties, triangles of sandwiches, cream tea (yes - scones, jam and cream the full monte!) a cafitiere and tea in china cups! Never have I feasted so well on a golf course anywhere in the world!

 

The back nine is 600 metres longer than the front nine so I guess this is the management’s way of ensuring players have enough fuel to get round. It certainly is a long course and there are long walks from greens to tees, so I was glad of the buggy, even though I could probably have done with walking off the banquet at the halfway house!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall the course is immaculately presented, it is a beautiful setup and the design is both challenging and rewarding, it provided a stern test for all the players in our group from scratch to mid-handicappers and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. 

 

 

 

 

If you were to take a golf holiday in South Africa and just played Gary Player designed courses then you'd be in for a real golfing treat.  At Fancourt near George he designed all four courses, and the Links and Montagu are awesome golf courses and are amongst the top rated in South Africa for good reason.  The Gary Player course at Sun City is a fine layout and a great test of golf; and I have heard nothing but good reports about Leopard Creek.  Unfortunately, the day I was due to play there British Airways delayed my flight and I didn't get there in time, something for which I may never completely forgive them unless I get the opportunity to play there again one day.

 

Do add your comments here if you have played any Gary Player designed golf course worldwide?