At Oyster Creek Lodge you won’t have to drive too far for a great round of golf.
Take a quick tour of nine magnificent Garden Route golf courses
The Garden Route, one of South Africa’s premier tourist destinations, is a paradise for keen golfers of all levels from beginner to experienced low-handicap players.
Quaint towns, majestic mountain ranges, and miles of white, sandy beaches provide magnificent settings for most of the courses along this 200 km stretch of the southern Cape coast.
With championship courses designed by some of the world’s leading course architects, including a Jack Nicklaus signature course, and easier-playing, yet still challenging courses in abundance, every Garden Route golfer will enjoy a satisfying round or two in this fascinating part of the world.
And when you’re not on the links you’ll enjjoy pristine beaches, wildlife parks, hiking trails, horse riding, and many other leisure and adventure activities, such as paragliding, surfing and mountain biking. All of which means non-golfers travelling with you won’t be bored for a minute.
And of course, it goes without saying that Oyster Creek Lodge is the perfect base for your very own Garden Route golf tour.
If you’re looking for a golfing holiday with a difference, read on and discover a few of the gems awaiting you on the Garden Route.
Plettenberg Bay – Goose Valley
The Goose Valley Golf Club offers year-round playing on an 18-hole course designed by Gary Player. A driving range and putting greens are available to those who want to hone their game before stepping onto the first tee. The beautiful clubhouse and course provide jaded city golfers magnificent scenic delights, with panoramic views of the Keurbooms Lagoon and Indian Ocean. Friendly, helpful staff are on hand to assist you with any queries, and a well-stocked Pro Shop offers everything a golfer needs, right down to golf balls and souvenirs emblazoned with the club’s logo and name.
For a small surcharge, guests staying at Oyster Creek Lodge can take advantage of STO rates when booking from the hotel.
While fairly accommodating to novice golfers, the Goose Valley course offers plenty of challenges for even the most experienced golfer. If you’re looking for a Garden Route golf course that offers it all, Goose Valley should be high up on your scorecard.
Plettenberg Bay Country Club
As you leave Plettenberg Bay on your journey towards Knysna on the N2, you take the left turn for Plettenberg Bay Country Club. This secluded valley course is surrounded by a beautiful nature reserve and quite shielded from the wind. This is a highly popular course with tourists and booking is essential. Affiliated membership rates apply to South African golfers.
Affiliated membership applies to golfers who are members of another club in South Africa and want to play on other courses in the country. Plettenberg Bay Country Club is an easy-to-walk course but offers challenges aplenty to experienced golfers.
Pezula Golf Course
Pezula Championship Golf has received no shortage of accolades since its inception. The course has been rated as 7th in the world for the best location, awarded Best New Golf Course in 2001, and rated the Best 5 Star Golf Experience continuously since 2005.
The clubhouse, perched high on a hillside, overlooks the rolling, verdant course, offering up spectacular views of the famous Knysna Heads, the Outeniqua Mountains, and surrounding countryside. There’s no doubt this is Knysna’s signature course.
It has a short game practice area and putting green, beautiful clubhouse and deck, bar, lounge and restaurant area and a private dining room available for intimate, special occasions.
An exceptional golf course that offers the accomplished, discerning golfer a game like no other, and one that won’t be easily forgotten. Guests at Oyster Creek Lodge can take advantage of special STO rates.
Knysna Golf Course
Established in 1909, The Knysna Golf Course boasts a long and proud history. The course has undergone significant improvements over the years and today operates as a fine, year-round golfing venue. It is a gentle walking course with various challenging water hazards, making it ideal for the golfer who wants a good, relaxing game of golf without too many surprises. With views of the surrounding mountains and hills, the Knysna Lagoon and the vibrant Waterfront not too far away, you’ll find this a pleasant way to exercise while playing your favourite game.
Although Knysna Golf Club is primarily a members-only club, visitors will always find a warm and friendly welcome. Booking is essential in the high season.
Simola Golf Course
High on the hills surrounding Knysna, you’ll find the Simola Golf Club, with its panoramic views of the Knysna Estuary and river, down to The Heads in the distance. Simola is unquestionably one of the premier golfing destinations in South Africa. In fact, some golfers have remarked that the views are so inspiring they’ve had to halt their game just to take it all in.
Designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus, Simola is one of only 200 courses around the globe, and one of only 6 in South Africa, that bear his famous signature.
The clubhouse overlooks the greens and fairways spread out below, giving you an eagle-eye view of the magnificent course layout. Simola provides a challenging game to the accomplished player, but also a satisfying game to the beginner who takes his time and thinks about what he is doing.
George Golf Club
This golf club is set in the heart of the Garden Route and has lovely scenic views of mountains and the wonderful trees surrounding the course. The course itself is exceptionally well maintained with beautiful, undulating greens. But be warned, stopping to view the surrounding mountains could upset your concentration and hamper your game.
Hole number 17, a long par 3 that leaves no room for error, is the signature hole of the course. It’s been voted one of the Top 500 par 3’s in the world and the top par 3 hole in South Africa.
Pinnacle Point Golf Club
Designed by Peter Matkovitch, one of South Africa’s leading golf course architects, Pinnacle Point Golf Course is one of the most spectacular courses in South Africa. Matkovitch, together with top Irish professional, Darren Clarke, opened the course in November 2006. Darren is quoted as saying “it is the best course on the planet”. In 2007 it was voted one of the top 10 golf courses in the world by the prestigious American publication, Travel and Leisure. In 2012 it was awarded the Complete Golfer 5 Star Experience Award – the “Oscar” of the golfing world.
Seven of the holes hug the edge of the cliff on which the course is built. Daring golfers enjoy the challenge of playing some of the holes over the ocean – a water hazard unlike any other. The dense fynbos growing abundantly around the fairways only adds to the challenge.
The clubhouse is also built on the cliff’s edge and offers up spectacular, uninterrupted views of the warm, turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.
Pinnacle Point is certainly a place to visit and play golf. The golf course is only part of this spectacular resort and there are many attractions on offer both before and after a round.
Mossel Bay Golf Club
The Mossel Bay Golf Club was founded in 1905 and the golf course relocated to its present position in 1924. The course is situated in beautiful parkland surroundings with abundant birdlife. With gently undulating fairways it’s famed for idyllic views of the ocean from every tee.
The par 5, 494m 17th is the course’s signature hole. The green sits high above the fairway, with magnificent vistas over the estate and ocean. While the sea breeze can present a challenge, this course is suitable for players of all abilities. The clubhouse overlooks the 18th green and, of course, the beautiful, blue bay. Golfers often comment on the warm welcome they receive at the Mossel Bay Golf Club, which is hardly surprising as the club strives to be the friendliest in South Africa.
Oubaai Golf Club
Oubaai Golf Club was the first Ernie Els signature golf course in South Africa. It is located at the Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort & Spa, a mere 10km from George Airport, near Herolds Bay. Els, a British Open title holder and two-time winner of the US Open, has named Oubaai Golf Club one of his favourite courses in the world.
The course has a traditional links layout, and is unusually long for a coastal course. The 17th hole is where the green meets the ocean – a firm favourite of photography enthusiasts. This green, with four bunkers and that well-known Western Cape wind, ensures an exhilarating short game.
The clubhouse, with open-air terraces overlooking the 16th, 17th and 18th greens, is also host to the award-winning Freesia Spa, where guests can unwind and be pampered after a challenging round of golf.
Choose Oyster Creek Lodge for your next Garden Route stay!
