Golfing around South Africa's Western Cape a real pleasure

By Vera Jansen Apr 20, 2010, 15:17 GMT

Cape Town - The average football fan isn't renowned for also playing golf but travellers to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup, and especially those based in the Western Cape for the tournament, should give serious consideration to playing a round.

Of course, fans can also entertain themselves with visits to the stunning Table Mountain, go whale watching in the Atlantic or take wine tours around Stellenbosch, but they should remember that an 18-hole round of golf can cost as little as 150 rand (20 dollars).

Caddies are on hand to carry your bag, calculate the distance of your ball to the green and give assistance in discerning the best putting lines. Not surprisingly, many travellers to South Africa learn a lot from their time on the course as the caddies are generally single handicap players themselves.

One such caddy is Fredi, a 40-year-old who has been working the greens for 20 years, most recently at the Strand golf club situated 40 kilometres from Cape Town. Fredi plays off a 4 handicap but only reveals this fact after a long bout of questioning.

'I don't want to unsettle the people I accompany,' he explains. 'I like to give them tips.'

A round of golf is played at a respectable pace in South Africa while pressure to speed up and jostling are frowned upon. Fun and conviviality are the order of the day. After nine holes, a 15-minute 'half-time' break is normal in the 'halfway' houses on the course, which give the opportunity for a small snack and a cold drink or coffee.

The golf courses in and around Cape Town and the region surrounding Stellenbosch are of varying quality and difficulty. Around 20 courses are within a 90-minute drive of Cape Town, with prices generally ranging from 300 to more than 1,000 rand for a round.

The top prices are usually only demanded by some of the new resorts that have invested heavily in their courses and are pushing for an exclusive clientele. It is still possible to play on well-tended courses in stunning locations for more reasonable prices.

The Zalze golf club near Stellenbosch, for example, has a mountain backdrop surrounded by vineyards while the Atlantic Beach Golf Estate beside Cape Town offers not only a view of Table Mountain but also of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in jail.

If the views weren't enough, springboks can also be seen running across the fairways.

Most striking about all the golf clubs around Cape Town is the friendliness of the staff in the pro shops, whether when ringing to book or registering for a round. Golfers are always made to feel welcome.

'Golfers from other parts of the world are very important because they bring extra income in for the club,' explains Strand manager Cornie Blom.

Many overseas visitors have taken out membership with the Strand boasting 900 members from abroad. Most only spend a few weeks or months in South Africa but perhaps after this summer's World Cup there will be a few more.