Ken Borland

Given the troubled economic situation, nine-hole golf courses are becoming more popular in South Africa and Kruger Park Lodge has one of the best in the country.

Regularly named in the top-10 of Golf Digest’s rankings for the best nine-hole courses and that of satop100courses.com, the par-72 Kruger Park GC was designed in 1992 by Phil Jacobs of Gary Player Design and has 18 different tees and a length of 6100 metres.

The cleverness of the course is complemented by the beautiful scenery, the rolling hills of the Hazyview area providing a lovely backdrop.

Although the course is of only average length, the designers did a great job of asking tricky questions off just about every tee. The undulating terrain, with plenty of mounds coming into play, adds further difficulty as does many water hazards and creative if sparse bunkering.

The innovative design is immediately apparent on the par-four first/10th holes, where there is a big tree in front of the tees. It is more of a factor playing from the 10^th tee, with golfers forced to either aim to the left side of the fairway or hit a low drive in order to avoid the overhanging branches.

The fairway has plenty of mounds and approaches are hit to a green that slopes uphill.

The second/11th holes are also a par-four. The 11^th is shorter (328m v 381m) but it requires a longer hit from the tee-box to make the fairway and there are also a couple of trees to negotiate. Do not go right off the tee because there is a big dam which is strictly out-of-bounds due to the presence of hippos and crocodiles. The amphibious mammals did make their presence known by suddenly surfacing with an explosive expulsion of CO₂ and a dramatic new breath being taken, but the crocs were typically clandestine, sneakily remaining out of view from the lovely hide erected to look over the dam.

The third/12th hole is the first par-five and as cunning as a crocodile. A drive of over 200 metres is needed to get over the hill in front of the tee, but 150 metres from the green there is a stream across the fairway, which will ensnare the longer hitters. The approach is downhill to the green, with a dam in front, but a bank behind the green does help in allowing golfers to hit their second or third shots a bit long. Bear in mind though that a chip back towards the water then follows … 

A shortish par-four (342/359m) follows to help settle the nerves, but the drive is into an uphill fairway, which then takes a dogleg left and the approach is to an elevated green.

Water hazards quickly return though on the par-three fifth/14th hole with a dam left of the green. At 194 metres long, the tee-shot from the fifth tee-box will be a challenge for the average golfer.

The par-four sixth hole, measuring 369 metres, is Stroke 1 and will be testing. Playing from the 15^th tee, it is a bit shorter at 359 metres and considered easier as a Stroke 10. With trees down the left of the fairway, you don’t want to drive there, with the hole then doglegging left. The entrance to the green is guarded by a bunker and a rockpool on either side.

Befitting an area reputed to be the best in the world for growing bananas, more aquatic banana peels await on the par-three seventh/16th holes. A carry of 150 metres is required to hit across a big dam when playing from the seventh tee, aiming for a perpendicular green that is wide but very shallow.

Be prepared to take a moment to enjoy the view from the elevated eighth/17th tees, which is a spectacularly scenic par-five. The drive is downhill with a wonderful view of the foothills of the escarpment, on to a fairway that turns gently to the left. The green is surrounded by the beautiful riverine woodland trees of the Lowveld, including a big Natal Mahogany that guards the front left of the putting surface. Measuring 498 metres for the eighth and 477 for the 17th, this is probably the feature hole of Kruger Park Lodge Golf Club.

The ninth and 18^th tees provide intimidating drives between trees growing along the stream on either side of the fairway. Playing on to an up-slope, the fairway then swings right down to the green. There are lots of mounds on the approach and a narrow green, with bunkers on both sides, as well as a rockpool on the left, so when we have safely negotiated the closing hole, we deserve our liquid refreshment seated in the lapa which is right next to the Sabie River and all its riches of biodiversity.

Pierre van Nieuwenhuizen, who joined Kruger Park GC as the pro last year, having previously been the golf director at Euphoria Estate and the academy director at Silver Lakes Country Club, says the Lowveld course that has now hosted 29 editions of the Hornbill Classic is a gem.

“I just love this course because every hole is unique and sort of has its own personality. It’s a thinker’s course that you cannot overpower, the longer hitters must really think their way around and I love that. The modern game is dominated by bombers that just wedge and putt all day.

“Then the incredible views, amazing vistas all around the course. Holes four and five are gorgeous and from the eighth tee it’s spectacular. It’s really a course that has everything a golfer wants to enjoy himself,” Van Nieuwenhuizen says.

Our DP World Lions men’s team has only had to endure the bitter taste of defeat twice in this CSA T20 Challenge campaign, without playing their best cricket yet, which speaks to their ability to get the job done in tight situations.

They were at it again at the weekend when they beat the Auto Investments North-West Dragons by five runs in Potchefstroom to ensure they finished top of the log and will host Qualifier 1 at the DP World Wanderers Stadium on Tuesday evening. Win that and we go straight through to Sunday’s final, defeat would mean a second chance when they take on the winners of Wednesday’s Eliminator between the Dragons and WSB Western Province.

The DP World Lions were defending a total of 170 for three against the Dragons, built around a classy 59 off 38 balls by the veteran No.3 Rassie van der Dussen and a punishing 62 not out off 39 deliveries by young Connor Esterhuizen, who was the Batsman of the Match.

North-West were then restricted to 165 for six in their 20 overs, #ThePrideOfJozi attack once again producing the goods, even when the home side needed 27 runs off the last three overs. Evan Jones kept his nerve as he conceded just nine runs off the last over, but it was the thrilling left-arm paceman Kwena Maphaka who produced the matchwinning over as he conceded just three runs in the penultimate over.

Maphaka had earlier bowled both Dragons openers with superb deliveries as he finished with excellent figures of two for 28 in his four overs and the Bowler of the Match award. Tshepo Moreki also took two wickets, while spinners Nqaba Peter and Reeza Hendricks kept things tight with five overs between them going for just 29 runs.

“We’re finding ways to win, even though we haven’t played our best cricket yet. We’re coming out on top in those big moments and to finish top of the table was a good feat,” happy head coach Russell Domingo said.

“Connor has a lot of potential, he’s only 23 and hasn’t played a lot of cricket. I have plenty of hope for both him and Mitchell van Buuren, they can be very, very good players. And then it’s great to have Rassie’s calmness coming in at three.”

Our DP World Lions’ opponents on Tuesday evening will be the Momentum Multiply Titans, a team that will boast several players who have really mastered the T20 format. The fact that the Titans beat the Pride by 117 runs in our home den in the opening round of the competition, and yet the DP World Lions still ended up topping the standings, illustrates their tremendous resilience.

“The past will have no bearing on the Qualifier, it’s a one-off match between two teams who have some seriously good matchwinners. We take real confidence in the way we played after that first game,” Domingo said.

PORT EDWARD (KwaZulu-Natal) – The Vodacom Origins of Golf Series is at Wild Coast Sun Country Club this week, a perilously rugged course, and young contender Jonathan Broomhead says it is important for him to bring his best game for the challenge.

Fortunately Broomhead is in good touch of late, having ended in the top-10 last week, further up the east coast at the SunBet Challenge Sun Sibaya event, and the 23-year-old has had five other top-10 finishes this season, including being the runner-up at the Vodacom Origins of Golf Highland Gate tournament. He is currently seventh on the Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy, the same position he finished last season, speaking to the consistency the Durban Country Club player is producing.

“At the Wild Coast, you always hope that you’re going to be on the better side of the weather, because it can get really nasty around here. You can’t come here with expectations, you just have to try and play your game. When the wind blows, you can only focus more on what you can control, play according to your game-plan, make sure you stick to that,” Broomhead said.

“You have to make sure your golf is where it needs to be when you come here because it is a very tough course. You need to manage yourself and play the course as it is. You have to stay patient because you can get bad bounces every now and then; you can quickly be two or three over and scrambling. But if you make a putt or two, then you can ride that momentum.

“Last week was nice for me; I struggled a bit for the first two rounds but then had a good third round of 67. My game is heading in the right direction, it’s in a nice place, but there are still a few things to improve on. I just need to take every opportunity and try and keep going with that momentum,” Broomhead said.

Broomhead’s mature approach and comfort in the wind mark him out as one of the main threats in this R2 million event, which is the third leg of the series and the last before the final at Oubaai from November 14-17.

Veteran Jean Hugo was the runner-up in the SunBet Challenge event held here last season and pipped Broomhead to the Vodacom Origins of Golf title at Highland Gate, while the seasoned MJ Viljoen is fifth on the Order of Merit delivered by The Courier Guy.

The experienced Heinrich Bruiners, a member of the Sunshine Tour’s Papwa Sewgolum Class, is also in great form, having finished fifth in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Sishen event last month and fourth last week at Umhlali Country Club, while Pieter Moolman is the defending champion and has a couple of other recent top-five finishes at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club.

DURBAN (July 13, 2024) – Victorious Ireland coach Andy Farrell said he did not care apropros the debate around which team is the best in the world following his side’s dramatic 25-24 win over world champions South Africa in the second Test at Kings Park on Saturday.

Farrell instead highlighted the character of his team after replacement flyhalf Ciaran Frawley kicked two long-range drop goals in the last 10 minutes, including one on the final hooter, to snatch a series-levelling win. It was just the second time Ireland have won a Test in South Africa.

Ireland led 16-6 at halftime after a superb first-half display in which they dominated the Springboks with great physicality and high-intensity rugby. The home team came back strongly in the second half and flyhalf Handre Pollard kicked six penalties to put them 24-19 ahead after 65 minutes.

But Ireland then fought back at the death to end their season on a high.

“As far as drama goes and with the pressure we put on ourselves because we were not happy with last week’s performance, this result is right up there because it came against a magnificent team,” Farrell said. “We had to come out and perform and the character of the team came through. That’s what sport is all about.

“It’s been a 13-month season for these lads but you wouldn’t think it after tonight, and when you play for Ireland, there are no excuses. Our tussles with South Africa have been immense and we had to show guts, bravery and composure tonight. Our first half was outstanding, as good as it gets, but in the second half we made enough mistakes to last us three games. It was a complete role-reversal from last week.

“I honestly don’t care who the best team in the world is. You would not want to separate these two teams and there are probably three or four other countries who come into the conversation. World rugby is in a good state when we have this sort of competition,” Farrell said.

Having won the first Test in Pretoria 27-20 last weekend, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus was humble in defeat on Saturday, praising Ireland as a quality side who deserved their victory.

“It was a very well executed drop goal that made the difference, but I’m not surprised because that’s what Ireland do, it’s why they are such a consistent team. The best team won on the day and I thought the referee [Karl Dickson] was good tonight as well.

“We fought back from a long way, but Ireland were better than us at the end when it mattered. But if that drop goal had missed then we would have been sitting here with big smiles and talking about what a good comeback to win the series 2-0,” Erasmus said.

While South Africa scored three tries in the first Test, all their points on Saturday came via eight penalties by Pollard, and Erasmus said their attack missed the direction and authority of experienced fullback Willie le Roux, who was concussed in the second minute.

“Our attack functions better with Willie there, with his vision and feel for the game and the way he links the two centres and wings very well. We lost one specific player and a lot of attacking ability with that because we build our attack around him. So our game became very stop-start,” Erasmus said.