Ebotse

The front nine weaves through a housing development, with the final two holes of this circuit returning to Rynefield Lake, where the clubhouse sits overlooking the shimmering waters. The back nine holes are set in more open terrain and holes 11 to 13 play round a smaller body of water at the driving range before the final two holes on the card wrap around the Lake on their way back to the comforts of the 19th.

In this brief edited extract from the book he co-authored with Jamie Thom entitled South Africa’s Greatest Golf Destinations, Stuart McLean writes:

“When Peter Matkovich first saw the colossal sand hills on the site of a disused quarry where he was meant to build Ebotse, he made a decision that was to save the developers a big chunk of their projected budget. Instead of removing the sand at great expense, the sand was dispersed and shaped into uneven, flowing mounds between holes, giving it a links-like character.

It is not a deliberate attempt to build an artificial links by adding dirt; instead, the mounds lend distinctive character to each hole, and the result is a uniquely rugged golf course for Gauteng, in contrast to the pretty parkland layouts that are typical of the region. The Ebotse course is not all high dunes, buts has a rumpled and distressed look, with jagged mounds and steep slopes adding definition to the terrain.”