• Contact

  
  Telephone: +27 (0)21 867-8000
  Homepage: http://www.pearlvalley.co.za

• Facts and distance 

  Facilities: Buggy, Driving Range, Golfshop, Practice Area, Rental Clubs, Restaurant, Trolley
  Type of golf course: Park
  
  Course length:  7437 yd
  Course designer:  Jack Nicklaus
  No. of holes:  18
  Par:  72
  Difficulty:  Easy
  Year open:  2003
  
  

Pearl Valley Golf Estates

The masterplan was shaped by the vision of golf legend Jack Nicklaus and his unique touch is evident throughout the course at Pearl Valley Golf Estates. Nicklaus, who was recent named ‘the most influential man in golf’ in a prominent international golf magazine, has used his wealth of knowledge and experience in the game to develop a truly stunning golf course. Officially opened at the beginning of November, 2003 by Nicklaus and South African great, Gary Player, Pearl Valley Golf Estates was named ‘best new golf course of the year’ by Golf Digest magazine in 2005 and in 2008 and is currently ranked the ‘5th best course in South Africa’ by Golf Digest. During the 2008 South African Open, 2007 US Masters Champion Trevor Immelman was full of praise saying, “the course is in incredible condition, it really is. That’s the way I expected the course to be, to a high standard, and they have always turned out a fantastic course, for the members day-in day-out. I really feel like these fairways; they are some of the best, if not the best, that I’ve ever played on”. In 2009, Pearl Valley was crowned “best Golf Estate” and “2nd best conditioned course” in South Africa by Golf Digest magazine. Traversed by roads in only three places, with a state-of-the-art drainage system in place that allows play to continue just minutes after a severe down pour, the course is truly in a league of its own. To meet the ‘Golden Bear’s’ uncompromising standards of golf course design and aesthetic beauty, a combination of the deep, lush green on the fairways and greens, together with the brilliant white river sand lining the bunkers was carefully planned to make Pearl Valley Golf Estates the most visually spectacular golf course in the country and arguably the world. The total length of course is 6801 metres from the Championship tees, whereas the members’ length ranges from 4685 to 5876 metres. Bunkers on Nicklaus’s signature courses are renowned for being shallow, long and relatively undaunting. Every hole is played against the spectacular backdrop of the mountains surrounding the estate and all are challenging due to the startegically set bunkers and fast greens. The prevailing winds throughout the area have also been taken into consideration with the course design; the winter being northwesterly and the summer wind from a southeasterly direction. All par 3s and par 5s play in different directions, ensuring that the same conditions are seldom experienced during a round. The 13th hole, par 3, is the ‘Signature’ hole of the course and perhaps the most scenic. The water cuts from the right and a greenside bunker awaits the cautious tee shot. This hole tests both your ball stroking and your nerve. Hole 4 is also challenging with no room for error as you need to cross the creek three times on route to the green. This par 5 is listed as one of the best 18 holes in South Africa, a real ‘risk and reward’ classic!