The 12 Best Golf Courses in Cape Town

Allthough one of the more expensive, and exclusive, golf clubs in the city, the green fees at this Constantia valley course are well worth it. Steenberg Golf Club revels in both vineyard and mountain views, but don’t let them distract you: architect Peter Matkovitch has thrown down the gauntlet with narrow fairways and plenty of bunkers. By the time you reach the 5th you’ll see this is a course that means business: this par-five stretches to over 560-metres, with a recessed green and tree-lined fairways to make life more challenging.

The signature 7th is a delight, with an island green guarded by both sand and water, while the 14th is equally memorable. This par-3 can play anywhere from 100 to 220-metres, thanks to large tee boxes and a green that stretches to over 75 metres. The closing holes roll along the flanks of the Constantiaberg mountain – cue more great views – before ending at the stylish clubhouse. After your round, don’t miss the chance to dine at one of the estate’s two excellent restaurants, and to taste the remarkable Sauvignon Blancs.

Another links-style course offering memorable views of Table Bay and the city, Milnerton Golf Club is a challenging par-72 layout where the presence – or absence – of the coastal winds will determine your round. Along with the wind, with water hazards, fynbos and coastal dunes in play, it’s a track requiring careful course management. The signature 12th hole – a par-five with wonderful views of Table Mountain in the background – is unforgettable.

In the shadow of the Table Mountain National Park, Westlake Golf Club is one of the finest courses in the city. It’s a parkland layout, with well-conditioned fairways threading through towering stone pines and indigenous trees, with dramatic mountain views from many tee boxes. It’s a challenging layout that is a great test of golf. The greens and fairways are superb with well-maintained rough ensuring a relaxed round.

Although the dog-leg 12th is a favourite with many local players, the club’s signature hole is the finishing 18^th. Featuring a majestic mountain backdrop, this challenging par-four climbs towards the clubhouse. A well-placed tee shot rewards you with a clear approach into the green, but beware bunkers in front and water behind waiting to punish a wayward wedge. The restaurant and bar terrace offers wonderful views of the course and distant Table Mountain.

Short, tight and challenging. That’s the best way to describe Clovelly, hidden away in the serene Silvermine Valley close to the False Bay coastline at Fish Hoek. Dramatic mountains frame the course, where the lack of length is made up for in narrow fairways and clever green placements that will test your course management. The 4th hole, a par-four dogleg, demands an accurate tee shot to set you up for a chance at par, while the uphill approach on the 18th to an elevated green demands some shrewd wedge management but makes a memorable finish to the round. 

For a challenging round of golf with some of the best sea and city views, it’s hard to beat Atlantic Beach Links north of Cape Town. With fairways winding between the homes of an upscale housing estate, the 18-hole links-style championship course layout was designed to follow the natural contouring of the land and takes full advantage of the ball-eating abilities of the indigenous fynbos vegetation. Thankfully, the fairways are forgiving and the greens putt true. As long as you work with the wind and don’t let the views distract you, you’re in with a chance of a low score. And the four tee boxes on each hole offer the opportunity to play the course according to each golfer’s ability. The 3rd is a standout: a delightful par three with spectacular view of Table Mountain and Robben Island. The par-three 14^th is also one where you’ll want to take out the phone for a selfie.

In the heart of Green Point, with some holes wrapping around Cape Town Stadium or within a sturdy snap hook of the V&A Waterfront, the Metropolitan Golf Club is an historic track founded in 1895, that was redesigned by architect Mark Müller in 2010. It’s a short par-62 course across 14 greens and nine fairways, that makes the most of the location to offer an accessible yet testing track. The signature hole is the 8th, boasting superb city views. After your round, head straight for the Time Out Market Cape Town, just a few minutes’ drive away.

On the border between the Winelands and the city, this contemporary wine estate destination offers Cape Town’s best mashie golf experience. The 18-hole par-3 layout at Hazendal Golf Club is superb, meandering between man-made watercourses and carefully conserved pockets of natural vegetation. With trimmed fairways and bent-grass greens, the course is always in excellent condition, with some truly challenging holes. The signature comes early on, with the 101-metre 2^nd. The elevated tee box, with views of the Bottelary Hills as the backdrop, makes for a tricky approach to a narrow green guarded by a well-placed bunker. Be careful not to over-club or you’ll be caught by the thick indigenous fynbos. Beyond the course you’ll find extensive practice facilities, including a spacious two-tier driving range equipped interactive golf technology.

On the outskirts of the Cape winelands, but tucked away within one of the city’s coastal suburbs, the Strand Golf Club was founded in 1924 and continues to be popular with local players. It’s an 18-hole track that caters to golfers of all levels and provides a relaxing yet challenging experience across a charming parkland-style layout. The Halfway House is renowned for its delicious pizzas.

Another historic suburban course, Rondebosch Golf Club is a much-loved favourite among locals and visitors alike. A parkland-style course with a fairly flat layout, the course is known for fast greens, plenty of well-positioned bunkers, and often-narrow fairways. The Black and Vygekraal rivers run through the course, making for an extra challenge on many holes. It’s a wonderful course for players of all levels, and is especially popular with younger players. Finish the round in the lively bar overlooking the course.

Just minutes from Rondebosch – and within easy reach of the city centre – King David Mowbray is a lush parkland layout that is wonderfully accessible for mid-handicappers and beginners. There’s a good mix of mature woodland to tip up wayward drives, and plenty of length to tempt you into an extra fairway wood on some holes.

You’ll need it on the par-5 13^th; a sweeping dogleg requiring both distance and accuracy hit the green in regulation. There’s a lovely clubhouse is perfect for an after-round refreshment: ask for the local speciality ‘Steelworks’.

As you’d expect from South Africa’s oldest golf club – established 1885 – Royal Cape Golf Club boasts plenty of tradition: from the heritage feel of the ‘19^th hole’ to the classic parkland course with views of Table Mountain and well-established tree-lined fairways. Known for its challenging wind conditions and fast greens, the course is a testament to Cape Town’s golfing heritage and appeals to those who enjoy a classic yet challenging round. The 14th hole is a demanding par-4 with a sharp dogleg and bunkers strategically placed to penalize wayward shots. It’s a hole that requires accuracy from tee to green, especially with Cape Town’s summer south-easterly winds.

With a dramatic location on the shores of False Bay, close to the famous penguins of Boulders Beach, Simon’s Town Golf Club is one of the oldest golf courses in the country – it celebrated its centenary in 2016 – and is a hidden gem on the False Bay seaboard. In its sea views and steady winds this unique nine-hole layout has the feel of a Scottish links course, and while short in length, the tight fairways, small greens and seasonal winds will test most golfers. The par-four 4^th is the signature hole, with an elevated tee box overlooking a sweeping fairway vista framed by mountains and ocean. A well-placed tee shot is rewarded with a view of the flag and an easy approach to an uphill green.