Fancourt Links, South Africa

Fancourt Links is designed by Gary Player, currently ranked No. 1 in South Africa and amongst the top 100 in the world. This was one of my favourite courses in South Africa and during my trip I also played Leopard Creek & Durban country club. I was really looking forward to playing this course. Staying at the Fancourt resort you get picked up and taken by shuttle to the Links course. Upon arrival you are welcomed and handed this note.

Nice little appetizer for the day. I booked an early tee time and was literally the only one on the course and the clubhouse for a couple of hours. I walked around the clubhouse and saw some of the history….



The weather was nice and I went on the range for a quick warmup.

driving range and short game area

The facilities are immaculate and up to the best standards. My caddie was busy cleaning my clubs on the range to ensure everything was ready for what hopefully would be an epic day on the course. I practiced putting a bit before heading to the first tee, where you are handed a menu to choose what to have in the halfway house – nice touch….

the golf course

A short par 4 to start with, but with well placed bunkers. Already looking at the layout of the first hole I knew this was going to be a great experience. It reminded me a bit of Kiawah Island where the holes are also shaped nicely throughout a natural terrain – something I really enjoy. I hit my tee shot in the right hand rough and had a 9 iron to the green.

Unfortunately I got a flyer and went over the green. Did not manage to get up and down so a bogey start on the first hole.

Best par 3 on fancourt links

Second hole is just magnificent. Called Map of Africa for obvious reasons. It is a pretty big green with large slopes and bunkers guarding around. I hit a 7 iron onto the left hand side of the green and was faced with a tricky downhill turning putt. Here is where my caddie came into play and provided some good reads on the green as well as on course suggestions. It is really good when you get a quality caddie and makes a huge difference on the whole golfing experience.

3rd is one of the more difficult par 4s.

I hit my drive left and couldn’t reach the green. Manage to save my par anyway.

Another long Par 4 where I hit a good drive down the fairway and a good approach shot to set up a par.

The first par 5 on the course where I hit my first shot into the bushes on the right hand side and had to take a penalty shot resulting in a double bogey. The green is very well protected with bunker and water in front.

well placed bunker in front of 5th green

6th a short par 4, but with plenty of well placed bunkers to take wayward tee shots.

I hit the fairway but missed the green and made bogey.

I managed to hit the green in regulation and made par.

Another good-looking par 3, I really like the way these holes are shaped in what seems to be the natural environment and you can see the well manicured greens to aim for in the distance. Didnt manage to hit this one in regulation but saved par.

I shot 41 and 5 over par on the front nine, which I tought was pretty good even though I had double bogey on a par 5. The last hole on the front nine is a long par 5 on 540m where I missed my drive left and made bogey.

You pay a part of the caddie fee after 9 holes, so the caddie can get some refreshments as well.

the back nine at fancourt links

10th is one of the shorter par 4s and not too difficult, but as you can see below the bunkers needs to be avoided to have a good chance of a decent score.

A short par 3 with a large greens that is long and narrow. Requires good distance control.

The pin was placed on the right hand side of the green and I decided to try to directly at the pin. Good shot, but missed the birdie opportunity.

The most difficult hole on the course.

I had an 8 iron to the green in my second shot, but missed it right into the bunker. Manage to get up and down on what is a green with large slopes. Difficult to see on the picture, but I slopes severely back to front and the approach shot should be a little long to set up the ball rolling back towards the pin.

14th green is a pretty small target, so even though the hole is not long it requires a good approach shot.

The have placed a bench in the bunker behind 14 if you have a little time to sit an enjoy the views.

One of the really good holes on the course a dogleg left. I played a hybrid from the tee to have a better chance of hitting the fairway which I did.

Nice walk through the terrain

I missed my approach to the left of the green and made bogey. I would probably have taken a driver from the tee as the fairway is bigger than it looks from the tee. That would have left me a much shorter approach to the green.

The coffin bunker on 16th hole of Fancourt links

A well designed par 3 hole that was only playing 119m. I hit a poor tee shot that went into the rough on the right and didn’t manage to scramble for par. You definitely want to avoid being left and short.

A blind tee shot on the finishing hole. I am not a big fan of uphill blind tee shots, just think that it is much better to be able to watch your ball land.

I went for the green in 2 but came up 30m short. Hit a decent approach but no birdie this time either and a finishing score of 81.

my experience

You are handed a home-made ice tea after the round which was really nice. A great day at the links. It is one of my favourite courses and I really enjoy the design, layout and challenge of the course. The condition of the greens was not fantastic, but I knew that already as they had maintenance done a week prior to. Gary Player has done a tremendous job with this course and I would certainly like to come back and play it again some day.

my score