Champagne Sports Resort

One of the great vistas in South African golf is from the clubhouse at the Champagne Sports Resort. Perched on a hillside above the course it offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Drakensberg mountain range and surrounding countryside. The parkland layout, designed by Hugh Baiocchi (1997) is one of South Africa's most scenic, and the only 18-holer this close to the Central Drakensberg peaks. For a holiday resort layout, it’s a strong test with one challenging hole after another, full of elevation changes and challenging bunkers. The opening holes run alongside the deep Sterkspruit River gorge that cuts through the property. In winter the fairways become brown and firm, making for longer drives and shorter approaches. Champagne Castle is a nearby peak and the second highest in South Africa at 3,377 meters. It was named by two 19th-century mountaineers who were about to toast their feat of ascending the mountain with a glass of champagne when a guide dropped and broke the bottle.