Photo of Leopard Creek Country Club

Leopard Creek Country Club

Malelane Gate,

Malelane, Mpumalanga 1320

  • Office

    +27 (0)13 791 2000
  • Pro shop

    +27 (0)13 791 2000
  • Fax

    +27 (0)13 790 3334

About the course

  • The Course:

    18 holes. Tree-lined & open parkland. Undulating terrain - several slopes to climb, especially on the back-nine.

  • Surroundings:

    Woodland and bushveld

  • Designer:

    Gary Player

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Metres
6692
6047
5027
Par
72
72
72
SSS or slope
74
71
71

Location

Latitude:

-25.441898

Longitude:

31.533122

How to get there:

65km E of Mbombela (Nelspruit).

From Mbombela (Nelspruit) take the N4 heading east. After 60 km take the Malelane Gate turn-off, and follow signs to Leopard Creek.

Leopard Creek Country Club

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.

Est. 1996

Leopard Creek Country Club: Located alongside the Crocodile River, with the southern edge of the vast Kruger National Park stretching away on the opposite bank, Leopard Creek is both spectacular and wonderfully scenic. Playing the course is one of the best golfing experiences in South Africa.

Elevation changes, excellent bunkering, fast and true greens and no end of water hazards all contribute to the golfing challenges of this Gary Player-designed masterpiece. At the downhill par-5 9th all the essential elements of a great golf hole come together, with an island green spicing up the risk-reward character of the hole. The parallel par-4 18th, also played downhill to a water-protected green, is another absolute belter. Here the final outcome of a match or tournament can hang in the balance all the way down to the final putt.

The relatively open aspect of the front-nine, gives way to some hillier climbs on the back-nine that provide the opportunity to take-in many stunning views. Perhaps the best vista of all comes at the 13th green. Here you look down onto a wide sweep of the Crocodile River, where crocs and hippos provide an always engaging and dramatic scene.

With its magnificent thatched clubhouse and a leopard statue at every tee-box, Leopard Creek guarantees a sumptuous and unforgettably African golf experience. Even more so if you are one of the lucky few (in fact, very few) to catch a glimpse of the resident leopard.

List of courses: Kruger Park, S Africa

Visitors

Who can play and when?

Private club - Lodge guests (staying at selected local lodges; see Leopard Creek website for listing) can book to play on weekdays and weekends.

Must book through the Lodge at which you are resident. No outside visitor play available. Handicap required

Green fees

Visitor fee (lodge guests at specified lodges), 18-holes: R6,300. Golf cart and halfway house included.

Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2023].

Other information

Non-metal spike facility. Predominantly white socks must be worn to accompany shorts.

Practice facilities

Good

Did you know?

Leopard Creek is the creation of Johann Peter Rupert, one of South Africa's most successful business tycoons and committed conservationists. Since its opening, Leopard Creek has become a revered and established name throughout the golfing world. It has already hosted many top level tournaments, attracting the world's best players (see our Tournaments section >by Venue >Leopard Creek).

The sculptures at each tee box are the work of Dillon Lewis and stunningly depict "A Day in the Life of a Leopard". In addition to a course map, it would be more than a little interesting if you also had access to a Hollywood style star-map, to spot who owns the relatively small number of fabulous course-side properties.

Published ranking

South Africa's No.1 course (SA's Top 100 Courses, 2023).

Where2Stay

  • Buhala Lodge4-star

    off the N4, Malelane, 1320 Mpumalanga.

    +27 (0)82 909 5941

    Visit website

    Located on the banks of the Crocodile River and bordering Kruger National Park, Buhala Lodge features elegant rooms, an outdoor pool and open deck spa. Many of the elegantly decorated rooms and suites feature verandahs offering views out onto the Crocodile River and across to Kruger National Park.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      No

    • Golf within 10 km:

      Leopard Creek

    • Golf within 30 km:

      No

  • Jock Safari Lodge5-star

    Kruger National Park (Southern Region), nr Skukuza 1351.

    +27 (0)13 010 0019

    Visit website

    As the first private concession granted within Kruger National Park, Jock Safari Lodge is the original safari legend. Located in Kruger’s southern region, where the Mitomeni and Biyamiti rivers meet to become one, it will feel like you’re stepping back to South Africa’s gold rush era. This extraordinary location and the history behind it are what make Jock Safari Lodge a unique experience.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      No

    • Golf within 10 km:

      No

    • Golf within 30 km:

      Leopard Creek (35 km); Skukuza (40 km).

Find a course

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Tournaments

124th US Open: the No.2 Course at Pinehurst once again plays host to this most illustrious championship (June 13-16). Wyndham Clark defends his title, having won at Los Angeles CC in 2023.

79th Women’s US Open: the second women’s major championship of the season gets underway at Lancaster CC in Pennsylvania. It’s the second time the championship has been held here.
(May 30-June 2).

Who's Who

Nelly Korda: won the Mizuho Americas Open (May 16-19) at Liberty National GC, continuing her extraordinary form in LPGA events. This was her sixth win in seven starts in 2024.

Xander Schauffele: recorded his first major championship win, and second record-equalling low score of 62 in a major. Only he, Branden Grace, Rickie Fowler and Shane Lowry have achieved this feat in a men’s major championship.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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