Representative image Photo: Stuart Logan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Gary Player Country Club
Sun City, North West, South Africa
18 Holes · Par 72 · On request · Parkland
— About
About Gary Player Country Club
Gary Player Country Club at Sun City is a par 72 championship course designed by Gary Player and opened in 1979. It is one of two courses at the Sun City resort in South Africa's North West Province and plays to about 7,981 yards, which makes it one of the longest courses in the world. The layout sits in bushveld near Pilanesberg National Park, on the site of a former volcanic crater. Its greens are small, and many are clover-shaped, with bunkers off the tee and sand or ponds guarding the approaches. Each year the club stages the Nedbank Golf Challenge, which began in 1981 as the Million Dollar Challenge and has been played on this course since the first edition. Sun City adds a hotel, a casino and a water park around the golf, and Pilanesberg National Park is close by for game drives. The course is a resort course, open to visiting golfers through the Sun City reservations team.
- Host of the Nedbank Golf Challenge, first played here in 1981 as the Million Dollar Challenge
- Par 72 designed by Gary Player and opened in 1979, at about 7,981 yards
- Small, often clover-shaped greens guarded by sand and ponds
- Set in bushveld near Pilanesberg National Park, part of the Sun City resort
History of Gary Player Country Club
Gary Player Country Club opened in 1979 as a championship course at Sun City, designed by Gary Player. Its first big event came at the end of 1981, when the inaugural Million Dollar Challenge was played there from 31 December 1981 into early January 1982 as an exclusive five-man event with a one million dollar purse. The tournament, now the Nedbank Golf Challenge, has been played at the club ever since, and it is held each year towards the end of the year, in November or December.
When to play Gary Player Country Club
May through September is the dry, cool winter season in South Africa's North West Province, with temperatures of about 15 to 25 degrees Celsius and little rain. October through April is the summer rainy season, when afternoon thunderstorms are common. The Nedbank Golf Challenge is played towards the end of the year, in November or December. Sun City operates year-round, and the golf can be combined with game drives at Pilanesberg National Park in any season.
Playing Gary Player Country Club: tips
Gary Player Country Club is a resort course at Sun City, and tee times are arranged through the Sun City golf reservations team on +27 14 557 1246 or +27 14 557 3700. Green fees are published by the resort and change with the season, so check the current rate card when booking. Sun City is approximately 2 hours northwest of Johannesburg by car via the N4 motorway. Pilanesberg National Park, next to the resort, offers game drives.
Visit Gary Player Country Club
Sun City, North West, South Africa
— Facilities
Practical Information
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Gary Player Country Club
Is Gary Player Country Club open to visitors?
Yes. It is a resort course at Sun City, and tee times are arranged through the resort's golf reservations team.
What is the Nedbank Golf Challenge?
The Nedbank Golf Challenge is an annual tournament that began in 1981 as the Million Dollar Challenge and has been played at Gary Player Country Club since its first edition. It is held towards the end of the year, in November or December.
When did Gary Player Country Club open?
The course, designed by Gary Player, opened in 1979. It is a par 72 of about 7,981 yards.
How far is Sun City from Johannesburg?
Sun City is approximately 2 hours northwest of Johannesburg via the N4 motorway, in South Africa's North West Province.