The clunkily-renamed HotelPlanner Tour (formerly Challenge Tour) kicks off its 2025 season on Thursday in South Africa, with the SDC Open near Bela Bela in Limpopo giving visiting players a sense of the adventure which lies ahead over the next four tournaments.
Zebula Golf Estate & Spa is one of the best golf resort experiences in Southern Africa. It’s a great getaway destination at any time of the year thanks to the pleasant Limpopo weather. Situated in the Waterberg region, the course is surrounded by nature and wildlife, with animals such as kudu, impala, blue wildebeest, zebra and giraffe being regularly spotted. The course itself was designed by Peter Matkovich and is recognised as one of the best locations in the world for a bushveld layout.
Only two hours from Johannesburg, the course’s wide fairways are framed by indigenous grasses and a variety of trees, with the greens providing smooth putting surfaces.
Designed by Matkovich in 2003, this user-friendly layout lies on rather flat terrain with every hole isolated, meaning there is no interference from players on other holes.
Feature holes include the relatively tough par-four first, which has a 90-degree dogleg to the right and an elevated green, and the unique par-five 15th with its split fairway. The signature par-three eighth has a raised green guarded by three bunkers and water on three sides. When the wind is up, the hole plays tougher than the stroke 15 suggests.
One of four consecutive co-sanctioned tournaments between the HotelPlanner Tour and the Sunshine Tour, some of the best talent from the African continent will tee it up alongside the HotelPlanner Tour’s finest as the 30-tournament season kicks off.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Darren Fichardt had a remarkable opening round in the 2015 Vodacom Origins Final. Starting at 10 he had six consecutive birdies from 12 to 17, and eagled the par-five 18th to turn in 28. He eagled the par-five second, and holed out at the par-four third for a two, the third eagle of the round. He was 12-under after 12. He had one more birdie, but two bogeys saw him sign for 61. He won on 14-under.
- Joshua Berry matched that course-record score in last year’s SDC Open with an eagle, 10 birdies and a bogey in his final round on his way to a share of 12th.
- The practice green in front of the main building is reputed to be the largest in southern Africa. All 18 greens on the course are roped off in the evenings to prevent game running on to them.
