Classical Collection

Dale Hayes certainly got my attention when he stated that the first hole at the new Cotswold Downs estate course in Kwazula Natal was probably the best opening hole in the country.

We were in the rolling highlands of Hillcrest and Kloof for the opening of Cotswold Downs and the ubiquitous Hayes, in tandem with course designer Peter Matkovich, was his usual inimitable self; laying verbal traps for the unwary.

But I was soon to find out that in this instance there was no sting in the tail of Dale’s quip. He was being sincere – the first at Cotswold Downs is, indeed, a challenging and gorgeous golf hole.

Played across a hillside to a fairway gently sloping from right to left with bunkers left and long right, a second shot aimed at the green has to carry not only a donga but also circumvent a beautiful wild fig tree standing sentinel on the horizon.

The prudent way to play the hole is to lay up short of the gorge for two; requiring a shot that has to be just right to keep clear of the tree but far enough back to avoid having to play your third off a down-slope.

Dale’s remark about it “being the best opening hole” in the country got me thinking; would it be possible to come up with the best 18 holes in the country placing them in the sequence in which they occur? – especially given the spectacular new courses that have come onto the landscape in the last few years.

Seeing as I have always believed the opening hole should lead one gently into the round, a generous par five or a wide open and shortish par four, No 1 at Cotswold Downs might be too stiff an entrée but I decided to go with Dale’s suggestion; especially as this wonderful new Natal course, set on undulating land where it would previously have been unthinkable to build a golf course, has clearly drawn the best out of Matkovich.

In keeping with many new designs – such as the spectacular Pinnacle Point near Mossel Bay - Cotswold Downs has some other candidate holes to make it into the best 18 in the land.

The par-three 5th has the biggest drop from tee to green that I’ve experienced (you literally look passed your toes down to the green); the 6th is as tricky a short par four as you’ll find, the 10th an alluring invitation to the back nine while the watery 17th and 18th provide as tough a finish as any.

The task of finding a best 18, in the correct order, however proved harder than I had expected as I took a mental flight over the many byways and doglegs of courses I know.

There are many outstanding 18th holes, the last at Durban CC, the 18th at Arabella, the closing hole at River Club, or at Leopard Creek (as it is for the Dunhill Championship), so picking one was difficult but in the end I settled for the delightful home hole at Country Club – a hole that would be non-descript if it were anything but the last and which almost uniquely brings into play an eagle two to win a tournament.

Ironically, one of the other holes that caused me problems was none other than No 13. I was amazed how many courses have terrific 13th holes; for instance Leopard Creek, a par five, Pezula (par five), Humewood (par four), Pearl Valley (par three), the crocodile hole at the Lost City or the challenging gorge-crossing shot required at the 12th at Wild Coast.

I settled for the 13th at Leopard Creek; one of the hardest three-shotters around and surely the most “African” hole you will find anywhere.

Another feature of rifling through a catalogue of golf holes is how many outstanding par threes came to mind; especially miniature gems such as the 4th at Southbroom, the 7th at Irene, the wicked 6th at Humewood and the world-famous “Prince of Wales” 12th at Durban Country Club.

Others that sprung to mind were the 2nd at Durban Country Club, the 13th at the Lost City, the 17th at Arabella, the 15th and 17th at George Golf Club, the 18th at Royal Swazi, the 17th at Fancourt’s Montagu course, the 13th at Pearl Valley and, again, the fabulous 13th at the Wild Coast – in fact, imagine a course made up of just South Africa’s great par threes?

Now there’s an idea for an enterprising marketer. How about staging a national par-three challenge with qualifiers travelling to play the best 18 par threes in the country?

The recent opening of Pinnacle Point, etched onto the cliff tops along a rugged stretch of Eastern Cape coastline, has provided South Africa with a course to rival the world-famous seascapes of Pebble Beach and Cypress Point – small wonder that SuperSport chose to stage it’s popular Celebrity Challenge in these picturesque surroundings.

Pinnacle Point has a number of holes that could be among the best in the country but I have chosen the 8th – a great little risk-and-award par four where the golfer is challenged to take on the waves crashing far below over a ravine in effort to drive the green and set up a two-putt birdie or pay the price!

South Africa is such a mecca for golf that I soon realised, while jotting down the holes I would have in my mythical course, that it was an almost impossible task to keep them all in sequence.

It would have been better to set out the best 18, four par fives, four par threes and ten par fours, but seeing as the challenge was to keep them in order here’s my “Classical Collection,” which, in terms of the normal balance, isn’t classical at all as I end up with a par of 73!

1. Cotswold Downs (Par 5)
2. Durban Country Club (Par 3)
3. Durban Country Club (Par 5)
4. Parkview Golf Club (Par 4)
5. Durban Country Club (Par 4)
6. Humewood Golf Club (Par 3)
7. Fancourt Montagu (Par 4)
8. Pinnacle Point (Par 4)
9. Gary Player CC (Par 5)

10. Glendower Golf Club (Par 4)
11. Royal Johannesburg & Kensington (Par 4)
12. Windsor (Randpark) (Par 4)
13. Leopard Creek (Par 5)
14. Pezula Golf Club (Par 4)
15. Mowbray Golf Club (Par 4)
16. Leopard Creek (Par 3)
17. Durban Country Club (Par 4)
18. Durban Country Club (Par 4)