Pretoria Country Club played 20 and 24 March 2020

Friday, March 20 and Tuesday 24 we played Pretoria Country Club. Pretoria was not on our list of courses to play, but thanks to the Corona we did play this Old Lady of a golf course. Pretoria Country Club is not placed in the country, but in the city of Pretoria.

Why call it an Old Lady?  

The first impression I got when standing on the clubhouse terrace overlooking the course was like “Holy Moses” this is truly a beautiful Old Lady. Old; because it is old – from 1910, and Lady because of the design where everything seem to be curved.

Here are no straight lines or sharp corners. The course is a mature parkland course with many small ponds dictating the flow and design of the holes, and a course where greenkeeping is at the highest quality. Everything, greens, fairways, bunkers and all the small ponds are made and kept at the very highest level.

Playing the course reminded me of my visit at Augusta to see the 2013 US Masters. A real Lady that have taking care of her beauty and eager to age with proud and integrity.

There are many great holes. Not extremely difficult to play but you can be sure that doglegs and bunkers and water hazards are in the right lengths from the tee not to make it easy for you, no matter whether you play from the front or back tee. 

Fantastic to play. The best, fastest and most true greens we have played so far and the grass on the fairways is cut short and even, making them better to put on than on many of the greens we have played on so far.

The flow of holes and fairways are great. No distance from green to the next tee. Even when we played it the first time, we were seldom in doubt of where to go for next tee.

Ponds, water hazards and fairways with doglegs left and right calls for precise shots. Playable by short as well as long hitters.

You have a stretch from hole 14 (par 3) over hole 15 (par 4) to hole 16, also a par 3, that is fantastic.

The par 3, 14th is only 141m – 124m and for the ladies 106m. Easy reachable for most golfers. But now, be aware of the green. The green is diagonal to the line. Imagine a peanut where the lower part of the peanut is the lower left part of the green and the upper part is to the right. Place the pin in the lower left (front) part and you are having a shot of only about 115m but if you are too short you will be in the water hazard in front of the green and if you are just 4m to the left or right of the flag your ball will roll off the green and down into a hollow (I think what’s called a false front). If the hole is on the upper right part of the green, you can go for it, but then again if not precise, your ball will roll out of the green and into the hollow.

This is a golf club established by golfers, for golfers playing golf and enjoying the friendship and the social life after the game.

What I like is that the driving range and the pitch and chipping green as well as the putting is close to the clubhouse. No excuse for not warming up. Also a starter and a marchall who knew about golf, driving on the course helping players to keep up. The only bit of negativity would be the noise from the road running alongside hole 11 to 14. Finally, it’s a great course to walk.

Facts about Pretoria County Club

18 holes, par 72, 3 tees (white 6.400m – rating 73.8, blue 5.700m – rating 70.0, red 5.300m – rating 67.3)

The golf course was built in 1910 designed by an architect named Bob Grimsdell, also known in SA for designing the Royal Johannesburg golf course. Then in the early 1950’s it was redesigned by the English architect Dr. Martin Hawtrey who also have worked on famous courses like Ballybunion, Lahinch, Portmarnock, Royal Birkdale and Sunningdale. And finally in the early 2000’s Gary Player was around the design to make small changes.

Learning about the history of these famous architects making adjustment to the course, I was a bit surprised. How was the original design and what have been changed? You cannot see it, playing the course is just one flow, everything fits together, nothing sticks out as different.

Maybe, except the green on 14.

About the history of the club, on their web page you can read:

As the clock struck 8 pm on the 21st of February 2011, its chimes marked the 126th anniversary of a meeting that took place on Church Square in 1885. At this meeting 55 gentlemen signed a charter establishing the Pretoria Club.”

The Pretoria Club was not, as I understand it, a golf club, but a club for gentlemen including activities as bowls, tennis and bridge. This club then in 1998 made an agreement with Pretoria Country Club sharing clubhouse and the members then also became members of the golf club. So now, the 2 clubs together, is a real country club (in my understanding), meaning that it include sports and leisure activities like bowls, squash, tennis and bridge, as well as a wine fraternity.

What I like, and think that every golf club should have is a junior program. Pretoria runs a junior golf program every Monday afternoon in one hour clinics for the various age groups. And as they are writing on their web page:

“Besides teaching that takes place at our practice facility we take the children on the course as well to also teach them the basic etiquette and rules of the game.”

Very important for the future of all golf clubs as well as for the future of golf.

Course record

The course record of 61, was made by Jacques Blaauw, March 15, 2015 on the last round of the Tshwane Open. Securing him a second place with a total score of minus 13. Played on the Sunshine Tour since 2009.

My game

We played the course twice and enjoyed every minute, every step and (nearly) every stroke. And – yes – I made a par on hole 14.

Evaluation of Pretoria Country Club played on 20 and 24 March 2020

Short summary

The first impression I got when standing on the clubhouse terrace overlooking the course was like “Holy Moses” this is truly a beautiful Old Lady. Old; because it is old – from 1910, and Lady because here are no straight lines or sharp corners.

The course is a mature parkland course with many small ponds dictating the flow and design of the holes. It is a course where greenkeeping is at the highest quality. Everything, greens, fairways, bunkers are kept at the very highest level and all the small ponds are beautifully fitted into the course.

There are many great holes. Not extremely difficult to play but you can be sure that doglegs and bunkers and water hazards are in the right lengths from the tee not to make it too easy for you, no matter which tee you play from.

Enjoy the practice facilities and the club house service. Here the staff makes you feel among golfers proud of their club as well as of their trade.    

Question, comments and suggestions are always welcome !