Durban Country Club

Overview: Durban Country Club is a historic 18-hole, par-72 links course on the Durban beachfront, with the Indian Ocean close to the property and coastal terrain shaping the routing. The layout is an old-fashioned out-and-back design by George Waterman, assisted by Laurie Waters, and it moves through sand, dunes and coastal vegetation rather than relying on a manicured inland parkland setting. Its character comes from the combination of exposed ground, elevation changes and the way the holes use the natural beachside landscape.

History: The club was created partly because Durban’s existing course at Greyville suffered repeated flooding. After particularly serious flooding made the old venue almost unplayable for the 1920 South African Golf Championships, Waterman and Waters developed the new course. Durban Country Club officially opened on 9 December 1922 and soon became an important South African tournament venue. The 2022 Durban floods caused extensive damage, leading to a Golf Data reconstruction that rebuilt all 18 greens, improved drainage and introduced a broad Scottish-style burn through vulnerable areas. The course reopened in 2024.

Did You Know? The par-five third is one of Durban Country Club’s signature holes. Its elevated tee looks down toward a narrow fairway bordered by a large sand dune, making the first decision a question of angle and control rather than simply distance. The hole captures the course’s identity in miniature: dramatic coastal landforms are part of the strategy, not just scenery beyond the fairway.