Located in the Eastern Cape, St Francis Links plays host to the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour co-sanctioned SDC Championship for the second year in a row.
Opened in December 2006 and built in the high dunes, this Jack Nicklaus Signature course, which has kikuyu grass fairways and bent grass putting surfaces, is exposed to the elements and offers many challenges to golfers in the form of deep bunkers and dense vegetation, along with water hazards on four holes.
The course has a minimum of four tee locations per hole for the improving or experienced golfer to the aspiring professional. The tees aren’t artificially perched above the playing areas, with the holes following the terrain provided.
When designing the course, Nicklaus weaved a layout through the dunes in such a way that no two holes are alike – most are removed entirely from each other. Every club in your bag will be used when you play the tees that best suit your game.
There are several notable holes on the course, including the short par-three fourth which has two separate greens and is named ‘Double Vision’. Whether you are playing from the back tee to the front green or the front tee to the back green, this is truly one great par-three and one for the memory books.
The 17th, ‘St Francis Bay’, is also a par-three and has the best view on the course, including the nearby town. It’s a challenging hole with a precise shot required if you are to get close to the hole, wherever it may be on the green.
The double-storey clubhouse overlooks the par-four 18th, ‘Homeward Bound’, which is a dogleg from right to left and offers a fitting conclusion to a round on this links layout in a stunning setting.
DID YOU KNOW?
- England’s Matthew Baldwin won the inaugural event in 2023, shooting 18-under-par to win by seven shots ahead of Spain’s Adri Arnaus.
- Each hole on the course is named, with the par-four 11th uniquely titled ‘Eish!’.
- St Francis Links remained in the top 10 of South Africa’s Top 100 Courses in 2023, in fourth place.
