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The club's owner with a homemade golf club made
from a coathanger and a binbag
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Background to the
course
Opened in the 1970s, Soweto Country Club occupies an
area with a rich history. The 6th green overlooks Freedom
Square where Nelson Mandela and other members of the
ANC wrote the most radical and forward thinking constitution
in South Africa's history.
Today the site, set in an area of tranquillity in the
heart of bustling Soweto, remains virtually unchanged.
Soweto CC has always struggled to provide adequate golfing
facilities. The committee manages with meagre funds
and there is a constant battle with the local council
who are seemingly incapable of maintaining the course.
There are no facilities as such - only a common room.
Playing the
course
A round at the Soweto Country Club Course is a humbling
experience. The tees are semi-derelict, marked by a
rough lump of concrete. Shots hit onto the fairway grass,
long and rough, are often lost. The fairways are more
demanding than the rough areas of most championship
golf courses elsewhere in South Africa, so much so that
the fairway drive requires 'placement' before the next
shot can be taken. Many of the bumpy and unpredictable
greens are diseased and in desperate need of some TLC.
Holes like the 13th are a challenge to play - it contains
the only water hazard on the course, that is, when the
committee can afford to fill it with water. Soweto CC
once had the longest golf hole in Africa on the 9th,
but it has now been shortened to a mere 629 meters off
the back tees. |
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Score card
Address:
Soweto, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa
Telephone:
00 27 11 938 5934, fax 00 27 11 933 2029
Course and length:
One 18 hole, 6560 meters, par 72
Dress code:
Shorts allowed with socks above the ankle. Players must
have a collared shirt.
Tee times:
6am to 4pm
Handicap:
Certificate required
Green fees:
$2
Other costs:
Caddies R75 ($13), no buggies
Location:
A 20-minute drive southwest of Johannesburg. Take a
cab recommended by your hotel. |
