The River Club

Links Road, Sandton,

Johannesburg, Gauteng

  • Office

    +27 (0)11 783 1166
  • Pro shop

    +27 (0)11 783 1166
  • Fax

    +27 (0)11 783 7248

About the course

  • The Course:

    18 holes. Tree-lined & open parkland. Undulating terrain - a few slopes to climb.

  • Surroundings:

    Residential and woodland.

  • Designer:

    Originally designed by Robert "Bob" Grimsdell, with later improvements by Rob O'Friel (1998).

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Metres
6500
6146
5250
Par
71
71
71
SSS or slope
72
71
70

Location

Latitude:

-26.077952

Longitude:

28.037458

How to get there:

3 km NW of Sandton Centre (Sandton is in northern Johannesburg).

Heading north through the northern suburbs of Johannesburg on William Nicol Drive, turn right into Ballyclare Drive at the Bryanston Shopping Centre. After 2 km turn right into Coleraine Road. After o.6 km turn right into Jukskei Road. After o.4 km turn left into Links Road.

The River Club Golf Course

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.

Est. 1967

The River Club Golf Course: Located in Johannesburg's leafy northern suburbs (in fact in the suburb of River Club), the eponymous golf course is regularly rated one of the top layouts in South Africa. However, unlike others in the top echelon, this is a fully private course, only open to its members and their guests.

If you should get the opportunity to play here, you will find a classical parkland fusion of tree-lined fairways, picturesque but threatening water hazards, and top quality greens and bunkering.

The terrain is gently undulating, with the layout containing many attractive dog-legging holes and some inspired par-3s. The course never wanders too far from the elegant clubhouse, not even on the arguably more interesting back-nine. At the par-4 13th, par-3 14th and par-5 15th you come closest to the Braamfontein Spruit, a tributary of the Jukskei River (see Did You Know section below).

This thoroughly enjoyable and challenging layout packs quite a punch at the end with the long par-3 17th requiring a serious carry over water, and a real do-or-die finale at the par-4 18th, with a potentially long approach into a well-bunkered and water-protected green. Benefitting from many fewer rounds being played on its pristine fairways, River Club often tops the list of Joburg's elite in terms of quality of upkeep and presentation.

List of courses: Around Johannesburg

Visitors

Who can play and when?

Private club - guests may only play if hosted by a member.

Handicap required.

Green fees

Outside visitor fee not applicable; private course for members and their guests.

Other information

Caddies compulsory. White socks must be worn to accompany shorts.

Practice facilities

Good

Did you know?

The River Club is located alongside one of the major streams to flow through northern Johannesburg - the Braamfontein Spruit (which translates as Bramble Fountain Stream). Like the other streams, it joins into the Jukskei River, which then joins the Crocodile River north-west of Johannesburg, which in turn flows into the Hartbeespoort Dam.

The club's logo features a Southern Red Bishop. These brightly coloured birds are a common sight throughout much of South Africa, particularly where reed beds and marshes are present.

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Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

Who's Who

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