South Africa Golf Guide: Sun City Resort

The Palace of the Lost City hotel





The sumptuous Palace of the Lost City Hotel dining room





The Fred Flintstone-style Lost City Course clubhouse

The hotels

The Sun City Resort has four separate hotels. The undeniable jewel in the crown is The Palace of The Lost City, which is both opulent and expensive. The icon of Sun City, The Palace offers guests complete luxury and it is regarded as the greatest hotel in all of Africa. Fabled to be the royal residence of an ancient king, The Palace lavishes its guests with 5-star service, and is luxurious in every facet of its fabulous architecture and décor. The Palace has 338 rooms inclusive of four deluxe suites. This is the ideal location for access to The Lost City Golf Course. It's worth a visit, just simply to marvel at the audacity and humor of the architects and to dine in its elegant restaurant. It is overly grand, but surprisingly not tacky.

The three other hotels all offer suites and luxury rooms. The Cascades, the epiphany of elegance, has tropical birds and water features. Many rooms at the sub-tropical Sun City Hotel, overlooking the Gary Player Course and Water World, face onto the hanging gardens. This is the liveliest hotel which houses the famous casino. Sun City Cabanas is considered to be the most relaxing of Sun City's hotels and it is popular with families with young children. Designed to blend into the foot of the mountain, it is surrounded by gardens which are great for walks.

Facilities:
Besides its golf and hotel facilities, Sun City offers a variety of leisure activities, from its famous casino, water sports, cinemas, varieté shows, a wide range of sporting facilities and a vast choice of restaurants. The resort lies adjacent to the Pilanesberg National Park and Game Reserve where the 'big five' game reside in abundance.

Activities:
The large lake of Water World runs along the 16th and 17th holes of the Gary Player CC. It offers waterskiing, paragliding and the hire of wave runners (jet skis). For the kids, there are bananas and donuts - inflatable white-knuckle rides. For a more sedate trip on the beautiful lake, you can glide on a pedalo or take a cruise. Adrenaline junkies can sail the highest zipline (parasail) in the world, which overlooks the entire Sun City complex, and reaches speeds of up to 50mph soaring above the tree line. For other water adventures, the Cascades Hotel has its own beach and swimming pool which provide a tranquil spot to take time out and relax. For a more energetic day, head to the Valley of the Waves, Sun City's own water park with rides and pools that offer plenty of thrills - and soaking spills.

The legendary caddies from the Gary Player Course

Gary Player Course, Sun City

Background to the Gary Player Course

Architect:
Gary Player

Type:
Bushveld

Landscape:
The kikuyu fairways and bent grass greens contrast with the thorn-scrub and aloe-covered hillsides and untamed bushvelt bordering the fairways.

Pro Shop:
The Pro Shop is well stocked with Gary Player Country Club merchandise. Take away a polo shirt or cap to remind you of the day you lost a thousand balls on the course!

Course facts:
- In the late 1970s legendary entrepreneur Sol Kerzner bought an area of land on the site of an ancient volcano. Kerzner planned to build a leisure complex that would welcome the finest entertainers in the world, be home to the best sporting facilities in the country, and attract tourists who would gamble to their hearts content in an era where it was banned in the rest of South Africa. The story goes that when Kerzner escorted Gary Player to the proposed site of the new golf course, the helicopter landed and the two men got out and walked around. Player asked where the water sources were, to which Kerzner replied, "There aren't any." An irrigation system was introduced, and the results are splendid.
- Gary Player CC is considered to be the best golf course in South Africa. Its reputation is upheld at the Nedbank Challenge tournament, held every December. The competition, with a prize of $2 million, is only open to the top twelve golfers in the world.

Playing the course

Gary Player CC has consistently been voted the top course in South Africa. It is one of the longest courses in the country and perhaps the most difficult. Kikuyu grass is used on the semi-rough, tees and fairways. At semi-rough length, it is very difficult to play out of, as the ball nestles down deep within it, so any attempt to play a ball out results in the club head being pulled down by the grass.

Although the course is fairly flat, the lack of gradient is made up for by cunningly situated bunkers, pins cruelly placed on kidney-shaped greens and numerous water hazards. To score well, your approach shots to the greens have to be spot on for accuracy and also length.

The caddies at Gary Player are world-renowned for their golfing knowledge which is a great help when playing this challenging course. Having a caddy to carry your golf bag may seem like a luxury, but on this course it is a must, although by the time you reach the 18th your bag will probably be lighter by the weight of several golf balls.

Course view (click for enlargement)

Score card

Address:
Sun City Resort, PO Box 2, Sun City 0316, North West Province, South Africa

Phone Number:
00 27 14 557 1245 Fax 00 27 14 557 3426

Website:
www.suninternational.co.za

Course length:
At over 7000 metres, the championship Gary Player Country Club (18 holes, Par 73) is one of the longest courses in the world.

Other courses:
6 courses, all par 72, 18 hole: The Lost City Golf Club (Championship Course), Zimbali, Royal Swazi Spa CC, Wild Coast Sun CC, Flamingo Casino Golf and Riverfish.

Dress code:
Shorts allowed with socks above the ankle. Players must have a collared shirt.

Tee times:
6.50am (summer) 7.30am (winter) until 6pm. The Gary Player Course closes on Mondays.

Handicap:
Only required for tournaments.

Green fees:
R350 ($60) for hotel residents, R400 ($70) for non-residents

Other costs:
Caddies are compulsory with a minimum payment of R75 ($13). No buggies are allowed as the aim is to walk the course and appreciate its beauty and design. Hire Cleveland Classics clubs for R200 ($35) for 9 holes or R350 ($60) for 18 holes.

Facilities:
Four world class hotels, a casino, car parking, multiple swimming pools, and restaurants to suit all tastes. Try golf lessons at Gary Player for R450 ($78). Its club house serves great fruit smoothies, a full English breakfast and snacks.

Location:
Sun City is located 95 miles (two and a half hours drive) north-west of Johannesburg. Take the N4 west of Pretoria.

More information

Adventure Golf: South Africa