In every province, around every corner, there’s a magic moment waiting to leave you inspired with incredible people underpinning it all. From city life to adventure, wildlife to culture, breathtaking scenery to sun-soaked coasts – discover South Africa . . .
South Africa is one of the world’s best golfing holiday destinations. Golfers from around the world are continuously impressed by the standard of the courses they play and it’s no surprise too as South Africa has some of the best in the Southern Hemisphere.
One only needs to understand the country’s natural beauty to understand why beauty is par for the course. Even if you aren’t part of an arranged golfing tour, it’s still very easy to hire a car from one of the country’s major airports and opt for an independent golfing safari.
South Africa has excellent roads and travelling around is a lot easier than most international golfers might expect, despite the vastness of the country. There are plenty of courses willing to hire out a set of clubs for those who just want to have a quick round on a whim.
From Johannesburg, wildlife resorts such as the Kruger National Park and Sun City
are but a few hours’ drive away and some of the country’s top courses are situated
near these parks. There is even one inside the Kruger National Park, so you can expect actual wildlife to spectate your round.
Some of the courses to consider in the northern part of South Africa—within driving distance of OR Tambo International Airport —include Sun City, Legend Golf and Safari Resort, Leopard Creek and the Highland Gate Golf Course designed by Ernie Els. In fact, Legends has a famous 3-par 19th hole where you tee off from the top of a cliff and get there via helicopter. Now that’s some extreme golfing!
The Western Cape province, which includes the City of Cape Town as well as the famous and ever-beautiful Garden Route, should be on every golfer’s bucket list. Fancourt, a golf estate in the Garden Route town of George, has three world-class courses with luxury accommodation. The Eastern Cape also has several excellent golf holiday establishments, such as St Francis Golf Lodge, which has received some rave reviews.
BEST TIMES TO VISIT:
Since South Africa is in the southern hemisphere, it’s summer there when it’s winter in Europe. Summer begins in November and lasts till February, which if you think about it, makes this the ideal time to visit if you want to escape the cold weather.
Depending on where you’re visiting, the average day temperature in summer ranges from a minimum of 15°C ( 59°F) to a maximum of 28°C (82°F). In winter the average day temperatures are 9°C to 23°C (66°F to 73°F). Just ensure you have a jacket to put on as it can get chilly at night.
Late winter is popular for game spotting because the vegetation is sparse and animals visit the waterholes to drink. Summer in the Lowveld can be extremely hot. Alternatively, you can go on a winter beach holiday in Durban or on the KwaZulu-Natal coast as average temperatures hover around the 26°C mark.
In Cape Town, the best time to visit is in spring and autumn, which is April and May or the beginning of September to October. Spring is particularly breathtaking as you’ll get to witness first-hand some of South Africa’s most beautiful indigenous flowers bloom.
Autumn offers a relief from the summer heat while the vineyards of the Cape Winelands start to change colour.
PEOPLE AND LANGUAGES:
South Africans have been referred to as the ‘rainbow nation’, a title which illuminates the country’s cultural diversity.
South Africa is home to a multi-cultural melting pot of 55 million beautiful people of diverse origins, cultures, languages and religions.
There are 11 officially recognised languages, most of which are indigenous to South Africa. English is spoken everywhere you go. English is the language of the cities, of commerce and banking, of government and official documents.
All road signs and official forms are in English and at any South African hotel, Bed and Breakfast or Guest House the service staff will speak English. Other languages you can expect to hear are Xhosa, Zulu and Afrikaans.
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