Fancourt, Montagu Course

The Montagu is ranked number four in South Africa by Golf Digest South Africa. Gary Player designed it, and it was upgraded in 2005. Where The Links is open to the wind, the Montagu is a parkland course, and it rewards a player who can shape the ball and keep it on the right side of the hole. The Outeniqua Mountains sit behind you all morning.

We play it in the morning. Your caddie has the yardages ready before you reach the first tee, and you are back at the hotel for a late lunch with the afternoon free for the practice ground or the spa. On most of our journeys the Montagu comes the day before The Links, which is the order I would choose: settle your swing on the parkland, then take it out into the wind.

You stay at the Fancourt Hotel on the estate. George is under an hour from Cape Town in your own aircraft, and about ninety minutes from the Lowveld when the journey moves on to Leopard Creek or the Sabi Sand. Our golf journeys here run in April to June and September to November. While you play, non-golfers can take a private drive along the Garden Route to Knysna for lunch on the lagoon.

Country: South Africa