Travel bucket list idea:
George, Western Cape, South Africa
The venue for the 2003 Presidents Cup and the 2012 Volvo Golf Champions, this outstanding links designed by Gary Player is strongly reminscent of a classic Scottish or Irish course. Huge dunes rise up around the greens, with the Outeniqua Mountains forming a stunning backdrop to eighteen challenging holes, without a weak one amongst them.
While the links-style makes it a standout in a country with very few courses of the type, what makes this track exceptional is the condition that it’s kept in: it hosts a meagre 4,000 rounds a year, which means it’s always in pristine condition.
The course is a private members’ club, but there are limited tee times available to guests of the excellent Fancourt Hotel.
The course is open all year round, seven days a week, but the best time to play is between October and March, when the weather is best and the course is at its optimum condition.
Round-ups that include this experience
Multiple countries
Inspiration
Spectacular landscapes, impeccable fairways and greens, brilliantly-designed holes and plenty of golfing folklore – we asked golf expert and journalist Fionn Davenport to recommend his top 30 golf courses from around the world.
