Umkomaas Golf Club

Overview: Umkomaas Golf Club follows an 18-hole coastal routing on KwaZulu-Natal’s South Coast, with a par-70 layout measuring 5,534 metres from the men’s tees. The course is not overly long, but raised greens, undulating fairways, bunkers, and coastal wind make it a thoughtful round. Sea views appear from many holes, and the best strategy is often to keep the ball in the correct part of the fairway so that the approach is not made harder by the ground or the breeze.

History: Golf began at Umkomaas as a nine-hole layout in 1913. The course expanded to 18 holes in 1926, and Robert Grimsdell redesigned it in the early 1930s, using the natural contours and the sea views. The basic routing has remained largely intact, giving the club a continuity that is unusual for a course with more than a century of local golf behind it.

Did You Know? The 18th is a long par four that plays into the wind, with out of bounds on the right and a narrow green beside the small valley known as the Valley of Sin. In winter, golfers can also see whales and dolphins from the course, a reminder that the coastal setting is part of the playing experience as well as the scenery.