The South Coast of KZN offers a choice of magnificent golf courses, some no more than a Seven Iron from the sea. For combining a family seaside holiday with golf, there’s nowhere better in our country than this subtropical strip.
The short 4th is Southbroom’s signature hole – for obvious scenic reasons. Hook your tee shot here and you’ll be in trouble with the foliage or possibly even dog walkers on the beach. (Photo Justin Klusener)
I’m a regular golfer. I play every year on the last Monday before Christmas in a friendly hack-around competition at Stellenbosch with fellow Old Maties. I borrow clubs for this outing, and buy a lot of second-hand balls at the pro shop.
The last time I could remotely call myself a golfer (off an erratic 24 handicap) was in the late 1990s. But when the idea of combining a golfing and beaching holiday on the KZN South Coast came up, I was the only Getaway journo who knew my pitching wedge from a putter. I packed lots of beachwear and remembered that, if all else failed, there was a heavenly waffle house in Ramsgate.
Speed slides, Aqualoop, Lazy River, and a Superbowl await at the Wild Waves Water Park.
Wild Coast Sun Country Club
Given my golfing pedigree, the Wild Coast Sun Country Club was a bad place to start – in a lost-balls sort of way. ‘Course architect Robert Trent Jones II spent several months just walking around to see the topography before he started building it,’ said sports and recreation manager Benjamin Leonard, who had the misfortune of playing a round with me. Being the Wild Coast, it’s all rugged, undulating terrain – all of which is incorporated into this scenically spectacular course with coastal views.
‘All the holes have names. This is the Green Mamba,’ said Ben as we teed up on the 12th. There weren’t any snakes but the fairway-fringing banana trees ate two balls. Then on to the par three 13th. It’s called Waterfall, and there is one, right between the tee box and the green. Now who would ever put a damn waterfall where a fairway should be? Robert Trent Jones the damn II, I guess. Needless to say there’s a brand new Titleist of mine bobbing at the base of the waterfall.
The Wild Coast’s 6th hole is named for the Bent Wallet Bridge over the Umtamvuna River. (Photo Sun International)
Fortunately there wasn’t much time to dwell on my scorecard as the Wild Coast Sun resort has plenty of fun activities that encourage very un-golf etiquette of whooping and shrieking if you so wish (see box). I went for an exhilarating quad bike tour up to the Mzamba Gorge (go for sundowners, if you can), then I popped down to The Riverside Aqua Sports centre for a speedboat trip up the Mtamvuna River.
Two must-dos in the Port Edward area are the Red Desert, a tiny slice of Arizona in the subtropics. At just 11 hectares of naked red soil surrounded by tropical vegetation, it’s the world’s smallest desert. Nearby is the family-owned Beaver Creek Coffee Estate where I took a coffee journey from bean to cup with barista Jeff Stopforth. He’s the SA Latte Art Champion. I didn’t know you even got such a thing but he hand-poured an artful seahorse design on my foamy latte after the tour to demonstrate his skill.
8 holes R385 pp; cart R310 (compulsory), low season specials of R365 pp cart included. You’ll love (or hate) the 6th Bent Wallet Bridge; the Waterfall 13th.Pro shop 039 305 2799/2870 [email protected]
Off-course at the Wild Coast Sun
This is a resort dedicated to family fun so there’s a beach, swimming pools (indoor and out) Wild Waves Water Park with rides and slides for all ages; or explore the area on a horse, quad bike or Segway scooter tour. The day spa offers a bit of R&R and the sports centre has tennis, bowls, squash and a gym. And, of course, dump some cash at the casino – you’re on holiday.
The Riverside Aqua Sports and Beach Bar on the Umtamvuna River is open to day visitors, too. Go on a river cruise, kayaking, SUPing, waterskiing, tubing and wake-boarding. Or just chill at the river with a cocktail. 083 662 9096, the-riverside.co.za
San Lameer
Next day at San Lameer there seemed to be water, water everywhere on the back nine of this championship course that evolved out of a private nature reserve. One of the first golf estates to be developed back in the 1990s, the 200-hectare conservancy still has plenty of wildlife; a breeding pair of crowned eagles are just one of the 195 bird species on the estate. Birdies, however, are very rare.
After a good tee shot on the 10th at San Lameer, a short iron gets you to the green.
There were impala grazing nonchalantly on the 9th tee and a few bachelors wandered across the 10th. Luckily my drive cleared them, and I stayed out of the water entirely on that hole for a respectable one over. On the 12th, mercifully devoid of water, my ball picked out a porcupine hole – and I wasn’t putting my arm down there to feel around for it.
The front nine of this Peter Matkovich and Dale Hayes-designed course gives sweeping sea vistas, while the back nine is reminiscent of a tropical island: water, palm trees and gentle shades of green. Talking of islands, the 18th green is one – an island that is. Surrounded by a sea of submerged golf balls.
18 holes from R325; cart R330
You’ll love (or hate) the 9th, down the hill to a Durban bunny chow at the halfway house. Pro shop 039 313 5141 sanlameer.co.za
Jumping off the Southbroom tidal pool wall is all about timing.
Beyond the 19th hole at San Lameer
Non-golfers needn’t ever leave this estate to have an active holiday, with tennis, bowls, squash and a floodlit mashie golf course for some after-dark fun, all on the property. The estate has direct access to both Trafalgar and Marina blue-flag beaches which are also popular surf spots. A 9.7km mountain-bike track winding through the foliage (suitable for walkers and joggers, too) has recently been redone. The leisure desk will rent you a boat, sports toys and beach brollies. 039 313 0111
Stop!
Ye shall not pass without stopping off at a Ramsgate institution – The Waffle House – en route from Southbroom to St Mikes (on the R620). The sweet or savoury Belgian-style treats won’t disappoint. 039 314 9424.
Southbroom Golf Club
A few kays away, I was welcomed to Southbroom Golf Club with a glass of bubbly for sundowners on the iconic 4th hole by club manager Gavin Sole and make-things-happen local, Deanne Purtell. It was immediately apparent that the golf club – recently named as the most popular club in KwaZulu-Natal by Compleat Golfer – is an integral part of this holiday-village. Mostly unfenced, the 18 holes interlace with elegant mansions, residents walk dogs and public roads run alongside or even cross fairways.
Deanne, who has been instrumental in designing fun golf packages for the area, had booked me into Coral Tree Colony B&B overlooking the 12th green. Dinner that night was a ‘cook your own seafood potjie’ (one of the golf-package treats ) at Coral Tree, and we guests were soon conjuring up a feast of kingklip, prawns and crab under the supervision of Chef Daniel.
(Photo Ian Thurtell)
Pre-sunrise next morning, several surfers were already paddling out on a magenta sea. Southbroom is a renowned surf break and it was here, a few days earlier, that I’d met up with Heather Clark who surfed professionally for many years on the world circuit and now runs a surf school. To date, she’s the only SA surfer (male or female) to have won the prestigious Triple Crown of Surfing in Hawaii.
Post brekkie and a dip, I teed off on the course ranked #1 of South Africa’s Most Fun Courses by Golf Digest in 2012. So why wasn’t I having any fun, I wondered? My partner for nine holes was lady captain Allyson Thomas, who was finding the fairways just fine. But I was two balls down and several rings up after the first three holes. Then, a crowned eagle welcomed us to the ‘signature’ 4th. The sea was blue, the breeze cooling and I dropped my first par of the trip on the 8th. For overall fun with the most friendly folk, my Southbroom experience certainly delivered.
The leap off Lehr’s Waterfall in Oribi Gorge is reputedly the highest gorge swing in the world.
I wasn’t quite done with the area yet, though. Ugu South Coast tourism had alerted me to KwaXolo Caves, an exciting new caving activity in the hills nearby. So that afternoon, I joined Shaun Makhanya, Khosi Mashala and guides, descending on a safety cable into a San hideout. This new community tourism initiative is a fun few hours for the whole family.
And talking of high-wire adrenaline in the area, the Wild Swing in Oribi Gorge (inland of Port Shepstone) entails hurling yourself off the edge of a waterfall for a 120km/h plummet roughly the height of 55 storeys. I gave that a miss, but Wild 5 Adventures also offers tamer action such as abseiling, a high bridge traverse and a foefie slide in the gorge and there’s a zipline in adjacent Lake Eland Game Reserve.
Khosi Mashala points out San art in the KwaXolo Cave.
18 Holes from R390, cart hire R300
You’ll love (or hate) the short (114 metres) but breath-taking oceanside 4th. Off course Shop in the jam-packed (with stock) proshop where Derek and Sheena James will see to your every need. The clubhouse deck has great views, cold beer and friendly folk. Pro shop 039 316 6051 southbroomgolfclub.co.za
Set aside a day of family action at the big yellow Mac Banana Estate (on the R61 near Glenmore), where you can:Mac conquer an obstacle course; Mac chimp on a rope adventure; eat fudge, pancakes and more. Play with animals; see beautiful butterflies in the Dome; quad bike; try archery; shop for homemade goodies…039 319 1454, macbanana.com
Selborne Golf Estate
From the deep south, I headed northwards to Pennington, a wooded enclave of coastal conservancy…
