Jack Nicklaus' design shines at South Africa's latest jewel: The Club at Steyn City in Johannesburg
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- The Club at Steyn City has aspirations to become South Africa's next great private club.
Hosting the 2022 Steyn City Championship March 16-19, 2022, on the DP World Tour brings that dream a step closer to reality. The Jack Nicklaus design on the outskirts of Johannesburg opened April 1, 2015 after a long grow-in to ensure perfect conditions.
At the center of the massive parkland and real estate development is the spectacular palace of owner Douw Steyn, a South African insurance mogul. His "Palazzo Steyn" mansion -- valued at more than $25 million U.S. dollars, the most expensive home in South Africa around the time it was built in 2015-16 -- sits high on a ridge with mesmerizing waterfalls cascading down from above. It's the most stunning golf course home I've seen on more than 1,000 golf courses I've played. Check out more photos here. It's most inspiring features are a two-story library and an underground 33-car garage.
The 7,054-meter golf course rides its rolling terrain gracefully. Ridges on certain holes keep players guessing at the proper line off the tee. The par-4 first and par-3 ninth holes cross the Jukskei River. Plenty of other water hazards come into play. The most interesting hole is no. 7, where a risk-reward downhill tee shot will flirt with a wandering stream. It's drivable from the forward tees.
The hardest par 4 is the 471-meter closer. If you hit the split fairway, a pond awaits on the approach.
The marvelous and modern clubhouse isn't as swanky as Steyn's pad, but it's pretty nice, just like everything inside the gates of this burgeoning city.
Editor's Note: Story updated March 2022.