Sea Cliff
Forget about the four-legged ‘Big Five’ Africa is famous for… pack your clubs and tee up at these five unforgettable holes across the continent
9th, Sea Cliff Resort, Zanzibar
Travellers soaking up sun, sea and sand on the ‘Spice Isle’ of Zanzibar should certainly look to enjoy a round on the island’s only golf course, situated at the Sea Cliff Resort & Spa. And while it may only offer nine holes, this charming course is no slouch when it comes to memorable tropical golfing. Laid out by acclaimed architect Peter Matkovich, the course makes full use of the resort’s stunning coastal setting. Sea views come standard on most holes, as fairways meander through a landscape of mangrove forests, mango trees and waving palms that wait patiently to trap errant drives. “Sea Cliff Golf Course is designed to give the hotel guest and visitor an enjoyable and fun golfing experience, while at the same time being challenged to their individual skill level — be they a beginner or scratch player,” says Matkovich. With 18 tee boxes to play from the course certainly offers a varied round, but no hole is as memorable as the par-3 9th. This 425ft par-3 may appear straightforward, but looks can be deceiving. An elevated tee gazes out to a wide, but deceptively shallow, green. Come up short and you’ll land in a bunker complex guarding the approach. Play too long and you’ll be searching for your ball on the beach behind. Club selection is key and you’ll be more than happy to walk away with par. Green fees from £45.
Extreme 19th, Legends Golf Resort, South Africa
Not many golf holes require a helicopter ride to reach the tee box, but that’s precisely how a swing on the ‘Extreme 19th’ at Legends Golf Resort kicks off. This remarkable course, situated in the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, three hours’ drive north of Johannesburg, offers up a memorable Bushveld golf experience. Each hole on the course was designed by a different golfing legend, from Trevor Immelman (1st) to Colin Montgomerie (6th) and Vijay Singh (15th). But it’s the addition of the unique 19th hole that’s really captured golfers’ attention, with the tee box for this signature hole situated atop the precipitous Hangberg Mountain. The carry needed to hit the green (which, in a nice touch, is contoured and shaped like the African continent)? A staggering 394 yards, with a 430-yard vertical drop to factor into your shot. Little wonder nobody has yet claimed the $1m prize for a hole-in-one. From £145 (if booked as a four-ball), for six balls.
13th, Pearl Valley, Cape Winelands, South Africa
Set in the heart of the franschhoek winelands, and designed by golfing great Jack Nicklaus, Pearl Valley’s 12 lakes, 81 bunkers and tight fairways mean you’ll want to keep the ball flying nice and straight. Land in the unforgiving rough and you’ll be wasting precious time hunting for your Titleist Pro V1 amid the indigenous fynbos (a low unyielding scrub). The signature 4th throws all of the above at you. On this long par-5 players need to cross a perennial creek three times to reach a well-guarded green. Lay-up or drive long? It’s a hole that requires a delicate balance of power and precision. Green fees from £35 (including cart) per 18 holes.
16th, Baobab Course, Mombasa, Kenya
As the only pga-accredited course in east Africa, the Baobab Course from Irish designer David Jones offers a scenic 18-hole layout that blends sunset views and lush coastal bush. Jones created a vast network of streams, lakes and channels on the estate, so expect plenty of water to come into play. That rings particularly true on the challenging par-4 16th, where an accurate drive is needed down the dogleg to skirt a large artificial reservoir. Then it’s a tricky approach to the raised green defended by both bunkers and water. When the monsoon winds come into play, you’re in for a true test of your steel and swing. Green fees from £40.
8th, Arabella Hotel & Spa, Western Cape, South Africa
the 8th at arabella catches most first-time visitors by surprise. From the tee box all that’s visible is a wide fairway disappearing over a rise, and the marker pole for your drive. But course architect Peter Matkovich has cleverly left the rest of Arabella’s signature hole as a wonderful surprise revealed at the marker pole: the manicured fairway falling away to the scenic Bot River Lagoon and panoramas of distant mountains. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the fairway narrows to a bottleneck, with a tiny cork of a green protected by bunkers and impenetrable reed beds. Coastal winds are a constant niggle here, and breaking par requires careful club selection. Even if you bogey though, you’ll walk away smiling. Green fees from £80 per 18 holes.
