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One Week, Nine Courses
Text and photos: David Taylor. Article from the April 2013 issue of Compleat Golfer Magazine.
David Taylor caught up with the annual Ultimate Golfing Road Trip at its tail end and came away with a renewed love for the Garden Route.
Golf trips with mates always seem like a great idea when you’re standing around the braai on a summer’s afternoon. Everyone will agree that it’s the coolest idea ever’ and ‘we have to do this’, but when it comes to the planning and logistics, things start to go wrong. When travel arrangements get complicated, it can ruin the weekend or, worse still, friendships. Not cool, especially when the only thing you should be worrying about is not waking up and missing your tee time.
Then there’s the ‘location’ argument: where to go. If there’s one thing South Africa does right, it’s great golf courses. Take the Garden Route. I can count at least 10 beautiful layouts that are all reasonably close together and beg to be played. What if you could play the best courses the Garden Route has to offer, while not having to worry about the minor details?
Golf in the Garden Route is a company that makes that dream a reality. The outfit has a rather sweet package on offer called the Ultimate Golfing Road Trip, now in its fourth year, that offers a nine-course tournament over seven days, each with daily prizes. I grabbed my clubs and joined up with the 2013 group.
The list of courses on offer this year was quite something. Starting with Plettenberg Bay Country Club, the tour took us to Goose Valley, Pezula, Simola, Oubaai, George Golf Club, Mossel Bay Golf Club and, finally, the dramatic Pinnacle Point.
The turnout was pretty impressive – 60 golfers, coming from as far as Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. After chatting to a few of my fellow road-trippers, the overall impression was that the trip is nothing short of brilliant. The week has a competitive edge too, as each round’s betterball Stableford winner accrues points, with the overall champs of this year’s event, Nico Maas and Wim Fourie, winning free entry to next year’s Ultimate Golfing Road Trip.
With near-military levels of planning and organisation going into the week, it’s little wonder everything works perfectly. The main reason is operations manager Mariska Nortje. She’s a logistics machine who kept the week running smoothly, yet was still able to crack a joke and smile. The only thing that was out of her control was a thunderstorm on the final day at Pinnacle Point. But despite the event coming to a soggy and premature end, the players were all in good spirits at the final dinner.
The annual Ultimate Golfing Road Trip isn’t just about non-stop golf in spectacular surroundings. It has a charitable side too, and the Southern Cape branch of the South African Golf Development Board was the recipient of a donation of R12 000 cash, golf bags, clubs and accessories after the tournament.
If you are considering taking a week off and heading out with your mates and clubs for a fun- filled golf escape, the Ultimate Golfing Road Trip might just be the coolest concept ever. Not only do you play some of the finest courses in South Africa, but you’ll be playing alongside like-minded souls – which only adds to a truly terrific time. Now to convince the editor that Compleat Golfer needs to attend in 2014…
Factfile
How to get there
I’m based in Cape Town and, thanks to Hyundai supplying an all-new Santa Fe for the trip, I hopped on the N2 and headed for the Garden Route. The drive takes about three-and-a-half hours. If you’re flying, George Airport is small but it’s the gateway to the Garden Route, and there is the option of hiring a vehicle once you’ve landed.
Accommodation
The Garden Route is a major tourist area, so there is no shortage of guesthouses and hotels in varying price brackets. I stayed at the upmarket Garden Court Mossel Bay, which not only offered a tasty breakfast, but was right on Pinnacle Point’s doorstep. For the Mossel Bay leg of the trip, this option is convenient and practical. Website: www.tsogosunhotels. com/garden-court/mossel-bay Tel: 044 693 2800
Activities
If you’re not too tired after your daily golf, the region offers plenty of things to see and do. The ocean is warm enough to swim in and the Garden Route offers some beautiful beaches. An afternoon game drive at one of the many game farms in the area doesn’t go down too badly either.
A must-visit is Louis Oosthuizen’s Mossel Bay restaurant, Route 57, named after his sensational round at Mossel Bay GC. Website: www.route57.co.za Tel: 044 691 0057
The Cost
We were hosted by Golf in the Garden Route and costs vary according to your tailor-made package. Operations manager Mariska Nortje will be able to assist with great accommodation rates and car hire, taking all the hassle off your hands. Email, Website.
More info on the Garden Route area |
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