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straight to the point
Pebble Beach on steroids. That’s how Irish Ryder Cup star Darren Clarke described Pinnacle Point in South Africa.
Perched atop staggering cliffs, Pinnacle Point in Mossel Bay is a windswept course three hours east of Cape Town and a half hour south of George. It marks a major addition to the already world-class golf scene in South Africa.
Set on the edge of a magnificent coast, Pinnacle Point is situated at the gateway to the Garden Route, taking pride of place amongst exclusive neighbouring courses such as Fancourt, Pezula, Plettenberg Bay and George Golf Club.
Seven holes play across chasms to greens that seem to be floating in the Indian Ocean. The yawning ravines and distant horizons make 140-metre shots look twice that length.
On the par-4 eighth, tee and green sit on opposing bluffs; big hitters can attempt an all-or-nothing carry in the hope of driving the green, or else bail out to the left and face a much longer approach.
Smartly, the architects designed large, fairly flat greens that yield plenty of sensible pin placements and give golfers – who have run a gauntlet just to get to the green – a bit of a break.
That architect was Peter Matkovich, who told Golf Vacations why the course means so much to him.
“The opening of Pinnacle Point was the birth of a very spectacular golf course. Nursing it towards maturity has been very special for me.
“My greatest satisfaction has been how well the challenges and strategy of the course have been accepted. The course has proved that it has the right variety of holes in length and direction, especially as the wind is a big factor.”
Uniquely defined by two intimate, secluded beaches along four kilometres of spectacular Southern Cape coastline, Pinnacle Point is located on four hundred hectares of prime land, of which one hundred hectares is nature reserve. The resort is home to indigenous wildlife, birdlife and 264 varieties of fynbos - a nature lover’s delight!
And don’t forget the weather. Mossel Bay is renowned to have one of the most temperate climates in the world - second only to Hawaii.
But the final word must go to Matkovich.
“My best compliment has not been from British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, who praised the course, but from an old lady in Switzerland. She said ‘I have to give you a kiss because this is the best course I have ever played and I can’t wait to play again tomorrow’”.
at a glance
Getting there: Under a code share agreement, South African Airways and Qantas fly direct from Perth and Sydney to Johannesburg with connections to Cape Town.
For SAA, phone 1300 435 972 or visit www.flysaa.com
For Qantas, phone 13 13 13 or visit
www.qantas.com.au
Situated in Mossel Bay, Pinnacle Point is a four-hour drive from Cape Town.
Green fees: R550 including share of cart.
Accommodation: There are 120 Pinnacle Point Golf Lodges and 114 Golf Villas, ranging from one, two and three bedroom units to four bedroom penthouses. All units are fully furnished with top of the range finishes including granite kitchen tops, rugs and flat screen TV’s. The units all have large balconies with panoramic sea views and share a communal landscaped garden with swimming pool.
T hings to do: The highest bungy jump in the world from the Bloukrans River Bridge at 216 metres. Whale watching, shark diving and visiting the Cango Caves, Tsitsikamma National Park and Wilderness Nature Reserve.
For more information:
www.pinnaclepointgolfresort.co.za
South Africa Tourism 1800 238 643 southafrica.net
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