club corner
African
VIBES
This month we visit Kruger Park Lodge Golf Course, where we speak to Nigel Toplis, chairperson of the golf course executive committee
Firstly, to put any misconceptions to rest – golf course or mashie look and feel?
Golf course! The Kruger Park Golf Course was designed by Gary Player in 1992 and continues to be rated as one of the finest nine-hole courses in SA. Each hole has two tees, though, ensuring a full round of 18 holes. It’s a par-72, 6 100m golf course.
Secondly, the surroundings?
The golf course is set in the African wilderness with kikuyu fairways winding through the bush. Azaleas and bougainvillea are around the greens, while wildlife like impala and nyala roam the course feeding on traditional Lowveld acacias and shrubbery.
What other animals would you find on the course?
Besides the impala and nyala, you’ll often be in the company of Egyptian geese, mongoose, monitor lizards and, of course, vervet monkeys during your round.
Sounds idyllic.What is the actual golf course experience like?
The course is challenging but fair. As mentioned, it’s a nine-hole course with two tees on each hole. By having a second tee for different ‘nines’, the visual layout of each hole is unique. There are two par threes, two par fives and five par fours, with undulating and rolling fairways. Two dams guard the par threes and a huge lake runs down the side of the 2nd fairway – with hippos and crocodiles in evidence. The fairways are fair, but don’t stray too far offline. The greens have earned a reputation for being true, so if you miss the putt, it’s not the green’s fault!
VISITOR GREENFEES
Affiliated
(9 holes) R370
Affiliated
(18 holes) R440
Non-affiliated
(9 holes) R400
Non-affiliated
(18 holes) R470
Golf carts
(9 holes) R280
Golf carts
(18 holes) R340
Caddie fees
(9 holes) R150
Caddie fees
(18 holes) R200
What is the signature hole?
The 4th/13th is the hole that defines the course. That said, many of the holes could challenge for that honour. On the 4th, you tee off from an elevated position over a road, skirting trees and being careful not to hook into the houses. The fairway dips at about 200-220m to leave an uphill shot to a large elevated green. Come away with a par four and you will be well pleased – though I have birdied the hole on occasion.
How many staff are dedicated to maintaining the golf course?
There are 26 full-time staff for ground, gardens and golf course, plus an assistant manager and a manager. They are permanently assigned to the golf course and others utilised as and when needed.
As head of the golf course executive committee, the perception will be that you are out on the course most days a week viewing wildlife. Is that the reality?
I am out on the course most days enjoying not only the golf but also the animals and the exceptional scenery – this is the Lowveld at its best!
Gallery below
Tell us about your daily routine and experience with Kruger Park Lodge.
I have been a resident at KPL for five years, although I’ve been coming here for over 30 years. My days start with nine holes at around 7:45am. I finish around 9:15-9:30am in time for breakfast. Then I get on with the rest of my day – visiting the park, doing Pilates, walking KPL, writing business articles, etc. We have a ‘meat competition’ on a Wednesday afternoon – a great nine holes where you meet new people, enjoy some golf and have some banter in the clubhouse at prize-giving.
Kruger Park Golf Lodge must have produced many memories over the years. Do the members still talk about any of them?
This course lends itself to creating new memories every day, every round. Of course, we’ve seen holes-in-one and tremendous golf shots (and some strange efforts!), but for many their lasting memory is enjoying a cold drink after the round while watching the sunset over the hippo lake.
What does the next 12 months have in store for the golf course?
We are constantly looking to make improvements to the golf experience for our visitors – be it new planting, upgrading the cart paths, planting new trees or the introduction of new competitions.
DISTANCE FROM
Mbombela 67km
Witbank 273km
Johannesburg 410km
Durban 749km
Bloemfontein 805km
Gqeberha 1 480km
Cape Town 1 806km
DRIVE FROM JOHANNESBURG
Take the N4 toll road to Mbombela via Witbank. When you reach Mbombela, turn left at the third traffic light. Continue 19km along the R40 towards White River. When you enter White River, turn left at the fourth traffic light into Theo Kleynhans Street towards Hazyview. Drive along the R40 for 45km until you reach a T-junction. Turn left to Hazyview. At the second traffic light, turn right into Portia Shabangu Road. Kruger Park Lodge is 800m away on the left-hand side.
What accommodation options are there for visitors?
The golf course sits on the world-renowned Kruger Park Lodge estate with 247 residential units – offering accommodation from large four-bedroom houses lining the Sabie River to two-bedroom timeshare and a huge range in between.
What is the structure of your membership?
We have a full membership programme from juniors upwards and we are sitting on 80+ members. Kruger Park Lodge Golf Course, however, is on a resort and much participation comes from people visiting the area.
What is the 19th hole experience like?
There is nothing like getting together on the clubhouse stoep for prize-giving before indulging in a couple of hours of discussion over ‘what went wrong out there’. Golf is a sport of opinions in a rural setting that enables golfers of all abilities to play together and challenge for honours equally. It always ends with new friendships and promises for tomorrow.
CALLING ALL CLUBS
As industry leaders, we at The Golf Mag are committed to being the hub of the South African golfing community. With this in mind, we are reaching out to golf clubs in the country to highlight them in the magazine.
This could be in the form of an interview with the club’s president, executive member, general manager, PGA pro, greenkeeper... anyone you would like us to focus on.
CALLING ALL CLUBS
As industry leaders, we at The Golf Mag are committed to being the hub of the South African golfing community. With this in mind we are reaching out to golf clubs in the country to highlight them in the magazine.
This could be in the form of an interview with the golf club’s president, executive member, general manager, PGA pro, greenkeeper... basically anyone you would like us to focus on.
We are encouraging all golf clubs to contact us and nominate themselves for a mention in the magazine. To feature in the mag, simply email us on contact@thegolfmag.co.za explaining who you would like to represent your golf club.
Kruger Park Golf Lodge Golf Course/SUPPLIED
