Holes In Detail

The outward nine ends at the far side of the course, but not before one negotiates the hardest-ranked hole on the course…

Hole 1 – 6

The outward nine holes tend to play with the prevailing breeze at one’s back and, with what is effectively a double fairway between the 1st and 18th holes, Milnerton’s opening hole is a 363 metre par 4 and long hitters can open their shoulders as crossing the 18th fairway is allowed.

The course opens with four straight par fours before the first of the short holes, with the tee-boxes on the 3rd and 5th almost on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. The 6th hole is played as a par five on competition days but is shortened to a par four other days.

Hole 1

Yellow: 363
White: 340
Red: 312
Par: 4
Stroke: 7
Depth of Green: 28

Hole 2

Yellow: 306
White: 280
Red: 263
Par: 4
Stroke: 15
Depth of Green: 32

Hole 3

Yellow: 410
White: 390
Red: 347
Par: 4
Stroke: 5
Depth of Green: 24

Hole 4

Yellow: 335
White: 318
Red: 289
Par: 4
Stroke: 3
Depth of Green: 32

Hole 5

Yellow: 180
White: 150
Red: 128
Par: 3
Stroke: 13
Depth of Green: 34

Hole 6

Yellow: 435
White: 435
Red: 356
Par: 5
Stroke: 11
Depth of Green: 30

Hole 7 – 8

Moving along past the par-three 7th hole, the layout runs along the Rietvlei River for the first time on the par five 8th hole, which must rank as a serious contender for the course’s signature hole.

With wetlands to the left and a hazard running along the right of the 475 metre hole, the tee shot is particularly daunting, although the fairway opens up significantly at the landing area. The bigger hitter might have as little as a mid-iron in his hands going for the green in two, but the narrow putting surface is tough to hit, with water on the right-hand side, ready to collect any miss hit.

Hole 7

Yellow: 134
White: 116
Red: 109
Par: 3
Stroke: 17
Depth of Green: 22

Hole 8

Yellow: 475
White: 435
Red: 395
Par: 5
Stroke: 9
Depth of Green: 30

Hole 9 – 12

Perhaps it’s the lure of the halfway house or the knowledge that you will be turning into the wind, but the 392 metre par four 9th hole is full value for its ranking, with a water-fronted green that is not easy to hit.

Turning back towards the clubhouse and the backdrop of Table Mountain, the long 477 metre par five 10th hole must be negotiated before one comes to a fine stretch of challenging holes.

Despite its stroke 14 ranking, the par three 11th hole is no pushover and a par here should put one in the right state of mind to take on another Milnerton beauty in the par four 12th. Rated as the fourth hardest hole, a prevailing headwind sees it play longer than the scorecard’s measurement of 380 metres, with bush guarding the right edge of the fairway and the out-of-bounds of the housing estate to the left.

Hole 9

Yellow: 329
White: 369
Red: 348
Par: 4
Stroke: 1
Depth of Green: 24

Hole 10

Yellow: 477
White: 445
Red: 411
Par: 5
Stroke: 12
Depth of Green: 28

Hole 11

Yellow: 170
White: 160
Red: 147
Par: 3
Stroke: 14
Depth of Green: 26

Hole 12

Yellow: 380
White: 365
Red: 309
Par: 4
Stroke: 4
Depth of Green: 24

Hole 13 – 18

Although short, the 13th is another of Milnerton’s deceptively difficult holes, with plenty of water coming into play around the green.

The next hole is a long 175 metre par 3 and if the pin is cut left then you have to negotiate greenside bunkers to reach the hole.

The 15th is another short par four with water guarding the fairway, front and right.

The closing stretch of three holes assumes the perfect recipe for a golf course, comprising a short par four, a reachable par five and a long par four.

All three run back along the Rietvlei River – enough to make any serial hooker of the ball very nervous – and just about any result is possible on these three holes!