If you’re a golfer, then you’ll know. This month work takes a back seat, and all eyes are on Augusta National as The Masters tees off at Augusta National Golf Club in the US state of Georgia.
If you’re not a golfer, here’s the basics: The Masters is a tournament steeped in tradition and forms one of golf's four hallowed ‘Major’ championships. For professional golfers, it’s a lifetime goal to don the winner’s green jacket, and this year nearly 100 players will tee up from April 10-13 for 72 holes of competition.
It’s no easy feat: this year, defending champion Scottie Scheffler and past winner Rory McIlroy will look to claim the title. But as important as the main competition is the traditional Par 3 Contest, held on the Wednesday of Masters Week as a light-hearted warmup to the contest.
Did you know that of the 88 times The Masters has been played, it has been won by South African golfers an impressive five times? Gary Player claimed it in 1961, 1974 and 1978. Trevor Immelman raised the trophy in 2008, and Charl Schwartzel was the last local boy to claim the jacket in 2011. Here’s hoping Schwartzel brings his A-game again when he stands on the first tee!
But while Georgia might be a world away, Hazendal Estate is letting local golfers in on the act with their own Masters Week celebrations on the Stellenbosch estate and golf course.
The estate’s immaculate 18-hole par-3 ‘mashie’ course is the heart of the fun, with the Hazendal Par 3 Challenge teeing up on Friday, 11 April 2025. Four-ball tee times are available from 2pm, with players competing in Individual Stableford format.
Individual what-now? Basically, it means you don’t count your strokes, but instead earn points based on your score relative to par. That means you earn 0 points for double bogey or worse, 1 for bogey, 2 for par, 3 for birdie, 4 for eagle, and 5 for albatross. High scores win.
If you don’t have an official handicap (other than your swing… ha ha), the course will provide one for you: 18 for men, 24 for ladies.
Can’t make the Friday? No matter. Just sign up for the InRange Nearest the Pin Challenge which will run from April 7–13 , 2025.
Taking part is easy. Just book a time in one of Hazendal’s awesome undercover bays at the driving range and log in to InRange Single Player mode. Select the ‘Masters Week Event’, take your best shot and aim for the top of the leaderboard!
There are exciting prizes on offer for those who land it closest to the pin, with everything from Hazendal wine and rounds of Golf to InRange multiplayer vouchers up for grabs!
Have you played all of The Best Golf Courses in Cape Town?