R301 Wemmershoek Rd,
nr Paarl, Western Cape 7646
Office
+27 (0)21 867 8000Pro shop
+27 (0)21 867 8000Fax
+27 (0)21 867 0767Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
James Wade (Head Golf Professional).Academy
Pearl Valley Golf AcademyThe Course:
18 holes. Open parkland. Gently undulating terrain - easy to walk (although some long green-to-tee walks).
Surroundings:
Residential setting.
Designer:
A Jack Nicklaus Signature course.
-33.821495
18.985791
58 km NE of Cape Town
From Cape Town take the N1 highway north, direction Worcester. Take exit 59 (Wellington / Jan van Riebeek Drive) and follow the R301 (Wemmershoek Road) south. After 7.3 km turn right at Golf Club sign. After 1.1 km golf is in front of you.
Pearl Valley
Pearl Valley Golf & Country Estate: Designed by Jack Nicklaus, Pearl Valley is one of the best recent additions to golf in South Africa. With the spectacular Drakenstein mountains (Groot and Klein) looking down on the valley from both sides, no expense has been spared to create a fabulous clubhouse and top-quality resort style layout.
From start to finish your golf will be probed and tested on a course that has hosted several South African Opens. At over 7,500 yards from the championship tees and a kinder 6,000 yards from the men's front tees, you can determine the degree of difficulty you want to exact on your game. This classic Jack Nicklaus design is immaculately presented and worthy of its billing as one of South Africa's best.
The terrain on this classy layout is essentially flat, with pleasant though modest undulations woven into the individually sculpted holes. The bunkering is terrific and will catch many tee and approach shots, while extensive beds of flowers and shrubs may also account for anything hit too wide. Trees are not too much of a factor, with occasional tall pines and eucalyptus adding to the overall scene. Substantive villas flank many of the holes, but thankfully, never too closely.
Pick of the holes: occasional water hazards make some of the drives that bit more challenging, not least at the par-4 7th and 8th holes, which run either side of the same small lake.
Stay&Play at Pearl Valley: luxury onsite accommodation available, see Where2Stay section below.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends when a limited amount of outside visitor play is available.
Must book in advance. Maximum handicap: men 28; women 36. Proof of handicap may be requested.
Contact club for full details, discounts, Stay&Play packages, etc. [Last updated: 2024].
Non-metal spike facility.
Excellent
Pearl Valley hosted the South African Open championship from 2007-09 (see our Tournaments section >by Venue >Pearl Valley).
The Pearl Valley golf course is located on the greater Val de Vie Estate, which spans 917 hectares, and includes polo fields, state of the art lifestyle centres, the L’Huguenot wine cellar, Fleet coffee roastery, Deli, equestrian centres, tennis courts, cricket nets, soccer fields, play parks, a boma on the banks of the Berg River and 42 km of hiking, running and cycling trails.
South Africa's 6th best course (SA's Top 100 Courses, 2024).
304 Pearl Valley Golf Estates, R301, Franschhoek 7690, Western Cape.
+27 (0)83 257 6353
Visit websiteLocated in this high-security estate, facing the Jack Nicklaus golf course, the stylish Pearl Valley Hotel and self-catering lodges provides excellent accommodation, dining facilities and a luxury Spa. The Lodges each have 3 bedrooms - two double and one twin room. All bedrooms are en suite, two of them with Jacuzzi baths, and there is heating and air conditioning throughout the lodges.
Pearl Valley
Paarl
Stellenbosch; De Zalze
Waterfall Road, off Swawelstrert Street, Paarl
+27 (0)21 868 0227
Visit websiteSituated on 23 hectares of privately owned land, between olive orchards, buchuland and vineyards lies Cascade Country Manor, an idyllic retreat. Meandering through the farm, is a small river that cascades over a rock face in the heart of the estate. The Guest House is located close to the Nederburg Wine Estate.
No
Pearl Valley; Paarl
Stellenbosch; De Zalze
Sony Open in Hawaii: played at Waialae Country Club near Honolulu, the Sony Open takes over the spotlight from The Sentry as the PGA Tour’s calendar-year opening event (Jan 15-18). The Sentry (not being played in 2026) was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, with a field typically restricted to golfers who won a PGA Tour event in the previous calendar year.
Dubai Desert Classic: the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of 2026, is contested for the 37th time (Jan 22-25). First won by Englishman Mark James in 1989, it now boasts a four-time winner, Rory McIlroy. Played on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course, this once desert-surrounded course is the long-time flagship for Golf in Dubai.
Our visit last month included two rounds at Golf de Chantilly, one of France’s most prestigious clubs.
It offers two superb layouts: Le Vineuil, a five-star championship course with a rich history, and Longères, an excellent four-star course that provides a strong and enjoyable test.
The wider Paris region offers plenty more. Courses such as Fontainebleau, Golf de Saint-Germain, and several other top-rated layouts make this area one of Europe’s most rewarding golf destinations, offering a mix of woodland, heathland, and parkland designs.
The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.
Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.
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
You can subscribe to the Where2Golf channel on YT if you like to see more video content. You'll find a "Subscribe" button on any of our YouTube videos. Or if you want a quick and direct access subscribe here. Once done, any new published videos will show up in your Subscriptions feed.