Fairways, Forests & 5-Star Fun: Golfing South Africa Beyond the Cape: Our Top 10 Golf Courses in South Africa
South Africa’s golfing story doesn’t end in the Cape. In fact, some of the most exhilarating and downright breath-taking courses await you in KwaZulu Natal, the Eastern Cape and Johannesburg. From teeing off in the misty Drakensberg to tackling legendary fairways next to hippo-laden rivers in Kruger, this is where golf meets safari, and your next round is only as wild as the landscape around it.
In this 2025 update to South Africa’s top 10 golf courses beyond the Cape, we highlight the best of KwaZulu Natal’s coastal charms, Sun City’s big game drama, and the Eastern Cape’s underrated links courses.
Ready to tee off somewhere extraordinary? Let’s dive in!
Side Note on Rankings
We use the rankings from the Top 100 Golf Courses in South Africa 2025 edition, updated every year. However our list differs slightly from the Top 100 ranking, because many of the top-rated golf courses, though immaculate, are not readily available to the overseas golfer. This may be due to their location in the upmarket estates of Johannesburg. Or their exclusive club membership.
So, our Top 10 golf courses for the rest of South Africa focuses on those easily accessible to the golfing visitor. (For your reference, you’ll find the 2025 Top 100 Golf Course Rankings at the end of each course description.)
1) Leopard Creek Golf Estate, Kruger Park
Consistently rated top 3 in South Africa, Leopard Creek lies on the border of the world-famous Kruger National Park. It has re-opened after an extensive revamp which repositioned fairway bunkers and also redesigned the 12th hole. They have also worked with indigenous plants to encourage wildlife and support the local ecology.
Gary Player’s design takes advantage of the natural environment, which is home to Africa’s “Big Five” – lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo. Over 200 species of birds also make their homes in the surrounding trees, of which some trees are over 100 years old. Players are protected from the wildlife by means of innovative architectural and landscaping techniques. However, water hazards might include the odd hippopotamus or crocodile!
Situated on the southern border of the Kruger National Park, the exclusive Leopard Creek presents a rare opportunity to play golf in the heart of the bushveld. The designers planned the course to be both a challenge for the best golfers, and fun for the average player. Owner Johan Rupert and Gary Player meticulously laid out this 18 hole golf course back in 1995. The picturesque Crocodile River and the Kruger National Park borders the 360ha estate to the north. Typical bushveld koppies overlook the course from the east, providing an ideal backdrop for this magnificent course.
Kruger Border • Parkland • 6 665m • Golf Carts • Top 10 Golf Courses in South Africa – SA Top 100 2025 Number 3
2) St Francis Golf Course, St Francis
The new St Francis Links course is not considered a true links course by all, given its rather disconcerting use of a number of water features. But it has risen in both rankings nevertheless. And a natural course between the beach and arable land it most certainly is! Jack Nicklaus has designed a course that will challenge all who play it and reward those who respect it. The layout combines every element of shot making with its undulating terrain, greens and surrounds as well as its variation in length and direction.
The shape of the greens comes from the natural movement of the land. The greens have simply been placed on top of the sand, changing shape in construction as the wind changed its mind. Some are more undulating than others. All putting surfaces and green surrounds present a mental and physical test.
St Francis • Links • 6 828m • Walking course • Top 10 Golf Courses in South Africa – SA Top 100 Courses 2025 Number 5
