| Arabella Golf Club |
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Voted the number two golf course in South Africa and the top golf course in the Western Cape, the Arabella Golf Club - home to the Nelson Mandela Invitational - stretches through rolling fairways, deceptive bunkers and challenging water traps. A truly unique golf course set on the banks of the Bot River lagoon and fringed by indigenous fynbos.
The Arabella golf course is ranked by Compleat Golfer magazine as the number one golf course in the Western Cape. It is also featured in Golf Digest's USA's Top 60 courses outside of America in 2007. Designed and built in 1999 by celebrated South African golf course architect Peter Matkovich, this classic parkland course has spectacular views across the Bot River lagoon and across the Kogelberg mountain range.
The pristine fairways are kikuyu, while the greens, which frequently receive high praise from professionals in the game, are Dominant Bent. Awarded Five-Star Golf Experience for the first time in 2002, the course is complemented by a luxurious clubhouse with bar and halfway house, as well as a fully stocked pro shop and excellent practice area with two resident teaching professionals.
The Arabella Golf Club has been the annual home to the Nelson Mandela Invitational charity golf tournament from 2003, hosting the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Samuel L Jackson, Ronan Keating, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Tim Clark, Lee Westwood and Sam Torrance. There is no doubt that a round of golf here ranks with the best experiences anywhere in the world. The greatest challenge for the design team was to maintain a balance between man and nature. The team successfully encompassed the mountain backdrops, the lagoon, forest and coastal aspects of the estate to create a course that compliments the environment without disappointing the golfer. It borders the largest natural lagoon in Southern Africa, and the 9th, 17th and 18th run parallel to the lagoon. Choosing a signature hole is extremely difficult to do, as all the holes are well designed with spectacular views. The course is diverse with links, parklands and coastal aspects within it. Features of the course are its wide fairways with plenty of bunkers and water hazards, and well-kept "bent grass" greens.
| Course details |
| Designed by: | Peter Matkovich |
| Year: | 1999 |
| Holes: | 18 |
| Length: | Men: 6385m
Women: 5234m |
| Rating: | 72 |
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