Jack Nicklaus Designed Golf Courses' Tour
Southern Africa is home to some of the continent’s finest golf courses.
This is perhaps not surprising considering that some of the World’s finest professional players and golf course architects have been designing and building golf courses in the region for some years.
If you have ever wondered why the region punches so far above its weight in golfing terms - currently placed third overall among those countries with the most winners of golf’s Majors in the modern era - the golf courses these players developed their skills on is a key part of this successful recipe.
Outside of a playing career which puts him at number 1 on the all-time records, Jack Nicklaus is also generally acknowledged to be one of golf’s top 3 course designers in what is naturally a very subjective field.
The Jack Nicklaus Designed Courses Tour will allow the golfer to play some of the Golden Bear’s best courses in South Africa, while the itinerary will take in some of the region’s key sights and features and provide you with the opportunity to turn the trip into a family vacation.
Outside of a playing career which puts him at number 1 on the all-time records, Jack Nicklaus is also generally acknowledged to be one of golf’s top 3 course designers in what is naturally a very subjective field.
The Jack Nicklaus Designed Courses Tour will allow the golfer to play some of the Golden Bear’s best courses in South Africa, while the itinerary will take in some of the region’s key sights and features and provide you with the opportunity to turn the trip into a family vacation.
It all starts in here... Part 1
Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate
Day 1 to 3
Gauteng: Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate and Houghton Golf Estate
The first leg will feature games at two award winning courses, both which are within golf estates.
Serengeti Estates, which is situated west of Pretoria, has been the host venue to the South African Open on numerous occasions and is the current home of the Tour Championship on the Sunshine Tour.
Reminiscent of the grasslands of the great Serengeti in East Africa, the Jack Nicklaus Signature course’s layout has resulted in a golfing gem.
While Nicklaus has designed a truly ‘modern’ championship layout, he has been mindful of the average player (as he generally is) and so the many tee options offer a course, which is both challenging yet still playable for every level of golfer.
Houghton Golf Club is one of Johannesburg’s most upmarket suburbs, which has undergone something of a revival in
recent years.
This revival included Jack Nicklaus’ extensive modification of the original Houghton course layout turning it into one of Gauteng’s must play courses.
The non-golf section of the programme provides an exciting ‘menu’ of parallel activities suitable for the whole family.
This can include visiting the restaurant and shopping areas in Sandton City and Sandton Square – one of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest malls and the opportunity to visit and explore the region’s more natural attractions.
Gauteng’s central location is perfect for ½ and full day access to a number of must see places, including visits to areas of cultural significance and historic interest, the Voortrekker Monument, the Cradle of Humankind (a World Heritage site) and the ‘city’ of SOWETO as examples.
Sandton Sun Hotel
Typical Itinerary
Day 1
Arrival in South Africa at OR Tambo International Airport | Transfer to Sandton and check into your hotel of residence | Introduction to the programme and welcome dinner
Day 2
Breakfast at hotel of residence | PM - 18 holes at Serengeti Golf Estate | Non-golfer programme | Evening at leisure
Day 3
Breakfast at hotel of residence | PM - 18 holes at Houghton Golf Club | Non-golfer programme | Evening at leisure
The Garden Route here we come... Part 2
St Francis Links
Day 4 to 6
Western Cape - The Garden Route: Simola Country Golf and Country Estate and St Francis Links
The second leg of the tour will move down to the Cape’s Garden Route, although St Francis Links provides a gateway to both the Garden Route and one of the region’s best kept secrets – the Eastern Cape or Sunshine Coast.
This area has one of South Africa’s most iconic coastlines and is where Simola Golf & Country Estate - Africa’s second Jack Nicklaus Signature layout - will play host.
Simola is a beautifully scenic and marvellously conditioned layout in what is possibly one of the region’s most scenic towns – Knysna.
Just along the coast St Francis Links in St Francis will play the host duties for the group in the penultimate leg of the tour.
Simola Country Golf Estate
St Francis Links
Also, a Jack Nicklaus Signature layout, St Francis Links is South Africa’s number 6 ranked course and is a ‘serious’ test of golf.
The layout has been sculpted from the site into a perfect links golf landscape and the finished product prompted Jack Nicklaus to comment that this may well be “the best course I have ever seen”.
If the non-golfers can manage to prise themselves away from the attractions of these two estates, then they will find a number of marvellous beaches, for which the region is justly famous, close to hand.
Jeffrey’s Bay is one of the World’s surfing capitals, so the non-golfers can take a beach horse ride, spend the day sunning on Paradise Beach, or visit the Baviaanskloof nature reserve.
Whatever your personal interests, the concierge’s desk, at either Simola or St Francis Links, will be able to recommend and book a wide range of activities.
Day 4
Breakfast at hotel of residence | PM - Transfer to Port Elizabeth and check into hotel of residence | At leisure | Dinner and introduction to the programme section
Day 5
Breakfast at hotel of residence | AM - transfer to Simola Golf & Country Estate | PM - 18 holes at Simola Golf & Country Estate |
Non golfer programme | At leisure
Day 6
Breakfast at hotel of residence | AM - transfer to Simola Golf & Country Estate | PM - 18 holes at Simola Golf & Country Estate |
Non golfer programme | At leisure
The Cape... Part 3
Pearl Valley Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course
Day 7 to 9
Western Cape: Pearl Valley Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course
To the north of the city of Cape Town itself and not far from Paarl in the Cape winelands you will find Val de Vie estate, which is home to another Jack Nicklaus masterpiece - Pearl Valley.
Pearl Valley will be the host course and a very fitting finale on the final leg of this golfing journey.
Ranked at number 5 on the most recent listings of South Africa’s best courses, the club has also been selected as the best conditioned course in the Cape for 9 consecutive years.
The Cape possesses a long menu of things to do, from a visit to Cape Point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet to a trip, weather permitting, up the city’s world-famous Table Mountain.
It would be fair to say that no trip to this region would be complete without a visit to one of Cape’s iconic wine farms.
However, if history and culture are your ‘thing’, then a visit to Robben Island, the Castle of Good Hope and the Bo Kaap or District Six museums should satisfy this thirst.
For the nature lovers, you can go whale spotting in Hermanus, take a dive with great white sharks for the more adventurous!), or alternatively just while away a sunshine filled day on one of the peninsula’s fabulous beaches.
Table Mountain - Cape Town
Day 7
Breakfast at hotel of residence | PM - transfer to Cape Town and check into hotel of residence | At leisure
Day 8
Breakfast at hotel of residence | PM - 18 holes at Pearl Valley | Non golfer programme | Dinner and prize-giving
Day 9
Breakfast at hotel of residence | AM - wine tour and lunch | Depart from Cape Town
THE COSTS
Each programme’s final budget is tailor made and determined by various factors including the number of guests, choice of venue, type of functions and activities, etc.
CONCLUSION
The Jack Nicklaus Design Golf Courses Tour provides an ideal multipurpose holiday whatever the final composition of the participants’ golf ability levels.
The non-golfer programme options are extremely flexible, personalised, focused and cost effective, whilst providing golfers, of all skill levels, with a unique opportunity to play on a selection of South Africa’s best jack Nicklaus Design golf courses, whilst taking in some of South Africa’s most popular wildlife and tourist attractions.
PS – younger family members are also very welcome!
CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information please contact: John Cockayne. Mobile: +27 (0) 73 896 7931 | Email: cathco@mweb.co.za