Top 10 Golf Courses in Cape Town & Garden Route in 2025

This is our take on the Top 10 Golf Courses in Cape Town, Winelands, Hermanus & the Garden Route. These all blend natural beauty, championship layouts, and the warmest of welcomes. Our updated 2025 ranking of the best golf courses in Cape Town for holiday visitors and beyond is your passport to playing some of the country’s top-ranked greens, from the clifftops of Pinnacle Point to the lush valleys of the Cape Winelands

South Africa’s golf scene has something for everyone. Whether you’re hunting down the best golf courses in Cape Town for holiday visitors, or dreaming of Garden Route golf holidays with dramatic ocean views. Perhaps even a quick nine followed by wine tasting?

We’re here to help you craft a trip that’s a hole-in-one. Read on to discover the golf courses where every swing comes with a sea view, a mountain backdrop, or a bragging-rights photo op!

Picture this: majestic mountains, vineyards that rival any French chateau, and golf courses so pretty they’ll distract even the most competitive player. That’s golf in the Cape for you.

Tees, Trees, and Ocean Breezes: The Best of Golf in the Cape & Garden Route

We use the rankings from the Top 100 Golf Courses in South Africa, updated every year. However our Top 10 rankings differ from the Top 100 Rankings in that they cover the whole of South Africa. Our top 10 Golf Courses in Cape Town and beyond includes top Cape courses which are easily accessible to the golfing visitor. (We have put the NEW Top 100 Golf Course Rankings for 2025 at the bottom of each description for your reference.)

While some of the Cape’s courses have slipped down the national leaderboard recently, we think they’re staging a comeback – and still have plenty of ace-worthy fairways.

Plus all these golf courses are easy to incorporate into a more general interest South African holiday or safari itinerary, if you prefer.

Check out our page Golf pages here

1) The Links at Fancourt Golf Estate, Garden Route

The Links course at Fancourt, is a truly unique and challenging course, especially if the wind blows, with rolling fairways alongside punishing roughs. Fancourt is probably the most impressively designed course in South Africa. Unique to South Africa, the course presents undulating windswept terrain and dune-style landscape. As a result, the Links presents a stern test in all weather conditions. Perhaps the most eye-catching hole is the par-three 2nd hole, with a bunker in the heart of the massive green!

Where luxury meets the links – Fancourt’s triple threat: The Links is only one of three courses at Fancourt – See the Outeniqua and Montagu courses lower down in our Top 10 List.

George, Garden Route • Links • 6 930m • Golf Carts • Golf in Garden Route – SA Top 100 Courses 2025 No 1

3) Pearl Valley Country Club, Winelands

Pearl Valley has risen dramatically in the rankings in the last 2 years, up from Number 17 to Number 4. This is one of Jack Nicklaus’s most visually pleasing golf courses. The Simonsberg and Drakenstein Mountains surround the 500 acre Pearl Valley Golf Estate. And bordered by vineyards with the Berg River acting as a water hazard through the course. Pearl Valley is one of the most spectacular golf courses in South Africa. It’s the combination of the intense colours of the greens and fairways. Together with the brilliant white river sand lining the bunkers.

Paarl, Cape Winelands • Parkland  6 719m • Carts available • Golf in Cape Winelands – SA Top 100 Courses 2025 No 4

3) Arabella Country Club, near Hermanus

The Arabella Country Club & Arabella Hotel overlooks the Kogelberg Nature Reserve, a mass of over 1,200 species of wild flowers and fynbos. The sweeping grandeur of the mountains and lagoon backdrop, complements this 18-hole championship course. Peter Matkovich, the exemplary golf architect was the designer.

Arabella Country Club provides both a wonderful golf challenge and an eye-catching landscape. It borders the largest natural lagoon in South Africa, Bot River Lagoon. Three of Arabella’s most memorable holes edge the lagoon, adding a touch of liquid drama to your game. Whilst the wetland is home to thousands of waterbirds so keep your eyes peeled for the flamingos.

Near Hermanus • Parkland  6 381m • Golf Carts • Golf in Cape –  SA Top 100 Courses 2025 No 7

4) Pinnacle Point, Mossel Bay, Garden Route

7 cliff-top holes. 180° ocean views. 100% bragging rights.

Pinnacle Point Golf Course in the Garden Route isn’t just a championship test. It’s where ‘playing golf in South Africa’s top-ranked courses’ meets ‘try not to get distracted by the ocean views.’ Good luck!

Well-known South African golf course architect Peter Matkovich designed this 18 hole championship golf course back in 2006. Pinnacle Point was soon selected as one of the Top Ten New Golf Courses of the World by Travel & Leisure.

This Clifftop course surrounded by fynbos vegetation offers a challenging layout, dramatic views and breath-taking terrain. The 72 par layout has 7 majestic holes that line the Indian Ocean rock cliffs. Four of which are played over ocean and cliff. All holes have been designed to fit the contours of the land.

It’s also won the Complete Golfer 5 star Experience Award and offers 180 degree ocean views.

Garden Route • Parkland 6 465m • Caddies • Golf in Garden Route – SA Top 100 Courses 2025 No 10

5) Montagu at Fancourt Golf Estate, Garden Route

The Montagu at Fancourt is consistently within the top courses in South Africa. The Fancourt Montagu is one of the best-conditioned golf courses in South Africa. It is cleverly designed, picturesque, and presents a challenge to golfers of all levels. With its setting of mountains, water, and wildlife.

As with the other Fancourt courses, only hotel guests and club members can play. So there is ample time to savour the Fancourt golfing experience. The warm-up area, featuring a full-length range, chipping and bunker practice area, is available to all golfers before play.

George, Garden Route • Parkland • 6 714m • Golf Carts • Golf in Garden Route –  SA Top 100 Courses 2025 No 11

6) Pezula Golf Estate, Knysna Garden Route

Pezula Golf Course lies in a stunning setting on the clifftops of the Knysna heads. It offers views to the Indian Ocean to one side, the Knysna Lagoon to another, and the indigenous rainforest to a third. The whole course is covered with beautiful fynbos, which strongly resembles Scottish heather. You can stay at the Pezula Hotel or at a boutique hotel that has golf membership such as Kanonkop House…

Pezula course will prove challenging to the expert. Yet it has five tees to every hole which makes it accessible to the social and junior players. The course offers breathtaking views over the forest, the Knysna Lagoon, and the Indian Ocean. It even has holes, such as the 14th, built right on the breach of the cliffs. The succession of the forest, cliff, and sea locations changing elevations and clever bunkering offers a true test of skill.

Knysna, Garden Route • Parkland  6 355m • Carts available • Golf in Garden Route – SA Top 100 Courses 2025  No 18

7) Simola Golf Course, Knysna Garden Route

Simola is a relatively new course that is fast rising up the rankings, also in Knysna on the Garden Route. This Jack Nicklaus course opened in 2005 and sits majestically on a wooded landscape overlooking the Knysna River and lagoon.

Simola is untroubled by the wind that plagues so may coastal courses. And it boasts an unusual configuration of five par-5s and five par-3s,. So that Simola offers challenging and rewarding golf for pros and high-handicap players alike.

Knysna, Garden Route • Parklands 6 401m • Golf Carts • Golf in Garden Route – SA Top 100 Courses 2025  No 22

8) Outeniqua at Fancourt Golf Estate, Garden Route

The Outeniqua course at Fancourt, set in rolling parkland, has the stunning backdrop of the Outeniqua Mountains. This course is similar in design to The Montagu, being shaped by the legendary Gary Player. It offers world-class conditioning and a setting that takes in mountains, water, and wildlife. A gentle opening par 4 with a fairly wide landing area. Then a large water hazard on the 14th hole with a good finishing 18th hole, the Outeniqua creates a wonderful challenge for all golfing enthusiasts. As with all Fancourt courses, there are a variety of tees from which to choose to play. This ensures that you never feel overwhelmed by the course.

George, Garden Route • Parkland  6 312m • Golf Carts • Golf in Garden Route – SA Top 100 Courses 2025  No 23

9) Erinvale Country Club, Winelands

Erinvale’s setting is stunning with the Hottentot Holland mountains as a backdrop. However, this beautifully manicured championship course boasts some of the country’s most challenging and spectacular holes. The course has two distinctly different nine holes to challenge the enthusiastic golfer. Again water and bunkers feature heavily with the additional challenge of the gradients! It has a driving range, putting green and chipping green for practice. Erinvale’s demanding front nine meanders through park-like terrain. Whilst the back nine provide a contrasting challenge, winding its way through the foothills of the mountains with panoramic views of False Bay. On the 15th hole you crest the hill and enjoy a spectacular view of Gordons Bay before you. You can stay at Erinvale Hotel.

Cape Winelands • Parkland  6 506m • Carts available • Golf in Cape Winelands –  SA Top 100 Courses 2025  No 25

10) De Zalze Country Club, Winelands

De Zalze was designed by well-known South African golf architect, Peter Matkovich. He made the most of this stunning setting and created a course that places a premium on accuracy. The course is set among vineyards and orange groves of the Cape Winelands, alongside the Blaauwklippen River.

The course has a memorable layout with many challenges, especially the second nine. Plus the oak tree-lined Blaauwklippen River which winds its way through the golf estate comes into play at various intervals. The short par-four 12th is played from an island tee over a large stretch of water to a green. This can be driven if you’re brave enough to carry the water. The par five with two fairways is another interesting hole set amongst the citrus trees.

Cape Winelands • Parkland  6 385m • Carts available • Golf in Cape Winelands –  SA Top 100 Courses 2025  No 31

Bonus #1 Steenberg Golf Estate, Cape Town

Steenberg is the first real golf course within the city limits of Cape Town in the rankings. Surrounded by vineyards, Steenberg’s parkland course lies in the verdant Constantia valley in the crook of the Constantiaberg mountains with extensive mountain and forest views from the course. Designed by Peter Matkovich, Steenberg offers some testing and varied golf with tee boxes amongst the vineyards, much use of water, and natural sandbanks in the heathland. You can stay at Steenberg Hotel with its excellent restaurant, spa & wine cellar…

The course features four distinct areas: wetlands, parkland, the Cape flats, and fynbos. Visually spectacular and technically challenging, these are the sort of holes that make golfing a true pleasure.

Constantia • Parkland  6 296m • Carts • Top 10 Golf Courses in Cape Town – SA Top 100 Courses 2025 No 49

Bonus #2 – Clovelly Golf Course, Cape Town

Clovelly Golf Course is scenically one of the best courses on the Cape Peninsula. It is more varied than many of the parkland courses. And the lovely colonial clubhouse enjoys a slightly elevated position above the course. Which in turn takes full advantage of its coastal setting with deep sand dunes encroaching upon the fairways. It is known for its rolling fairways, undulating holes, and magnificent landscaping. Wind also plays a significant factor at Clovelly! A relatively quiet course, Clovelly is a tight par 72 with a testing mix of interesting holes and elevated greens. It is accompanied by beautiful views of Silvermine River and lakes. Sand dunes abound the course, which has natural water features. Plus a wide variety of indigenous fauna and flora, notably the variety of trees lining the fairways. 

Cape Town • Coastal  5 890m • Carts available • Top 10 Golf Courses in Cape Town – SA Top 100 Courses 2025 No 52

We hope you have enjoyed this post on the top 10 golf courses in Cape Town & surrounds. Check out Part 2 on the Top 10 Golf Courses in South Africa in Sun City, KwaZulu Natal & near the Kruger 

Or head to our Golf pages for more sample golf holidays.

Other Notable Mentions – the Top Golf Courses in Cape Town & surrounds

Cape Town has a number of golf courses that don’t quite make the cut here. But the following highly rates course are well worth a mention…

• George Golf Club – Number 28. (We didn’t include it above only because of the three Fancourt courses already in George. Whilst another 2 are within 30 mins drive!)
• Hermanus East – Number 36
• Royal Cape Country Club – Number 42
• Plettenberg Bay Country Club – Number 48
• Atlantic Beach – Number 54
• Stellenbosch – Number 60
• Knysna – Number 73
• Oubaai, Garden Route – Number 81

We don’t do generic. And neither should you

We don’t do cookie-cutter golf holidays. And neither should you. Let’s co-create a trip that’s as unique as your putting style. At Cedarberg Africa, we’ve spent 30 years crafting tailor-made golf holidays in South Africa. We know how to tee up golf and safari itineraries that’ll have you bragging all the way back home

Booking a Golf tour in 3 easy steps:

If you’re daydreaming about golf safaris in South Africa – or golf and wine tours that’ll make your buddies green with envy – our 3-step plan is your passport to tee-time bliss.

• Start with our Free Guide to the Top 25 Golf Courses in South Africa

This essential read will give you the lay of the land – from South African golf courses with ocean views to mountain-side fairways.

• Connect with one of our expert safari planners to map out your dream golf trip.

We’ll chat about everything from your “must-play” list to your ideal accommodation vibe – whether that’s a luxury lodge or a boutique hideaway. We love creating golf and wine tours in the Cape Winelands or blending your golf trip with a wildlife safari.

• Receive a custom itinerary that’s as smooth as your putting stroke.

We’ll make sure it hits the right notes – the best golf courses, fabulous scenery, and of course, those memorable 19th holes.

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“Top 10 Golf Courses in Cape Town in 2025” was written by South Africa Safari specialist Cedarberg Africa

We’re all about tailor-made trips built around YOUR passions – from golf and wildlife to wine and whale-watching. After 30 years of fine-tuning experiences, we know the sweet spots – both on the course and beyond.