Arabella Golf Club
Rating Snapshot
About
Peter Matkovich, who designed the Arabella Golf course, ensured that the 18 holes encompass the Mountain backdrops, lagoon frontage and forests on the estate near Kleinmond. These provide for links, parkland and coastal aspects, while the individual fairways provide natural corridors as vantage points to savour nature's true beauty. This championship course was voted "Best New Course Southern Africa 1999"
Location: The golf course is situated near Kleinmond, which is on the Western Cape's Whale Coast, and close to Hermanus.
Unique Selling Points:
- 150 bird species
- Bio-sphere, Links and Parklands
- Designed by Peter Matkovich
- Fynbos
- Largest lagoon in Southern Africa
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow | 72 | 6222 meters | 74.0 | 141 |
| White | 72 | 5813 meters | 71.9 | 140 |
| Blue | 72 | 5406 meters | 70.0 | 132 |
| Blue (W) | 72 | 5406 meters | 76.4 | 140 |
| Red | 72 | 4956 meters | 67.8 | 127 |
| Red (W) | 72 | 4956 meters | 73.2 | 133 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black M: 73.1/123 | 367 | 505 | 470 | 436 | 170 | 424 | 209 | 546 | 296 | 3423 | 393 | 398 | 352 | 517 | 203 | 437 | 348 | 124 | 539 | 3311 | 6734 |
| White M: 70.7/121 | 306 | 460 | 439 | 413 | 170 | 370 | 199 | 524 | 269 | 3150 | 376 | 381 | 342 | 485 | 189 | 403 | 348 | 114 | 511 | 3149 | 6299 |
| Blue M: 69.2/117 | 343 | 440 | 409 | 396 | 170 | 347 | 173 | 501 | 228 | 3007 | 354 | 368 | 328 | 465 | 176 | 382 | 348 | 94 | 482 | 2997 | 6004 |
| Red W: 70.2/119 | 326 | 414 | 379 | 348 | 170 | 331 | 133 | 480 | 212 | 2793 | 310 | 352 | 295 | 391 | 110 | 376 | 348 | 88 | 441 | 2711 | 5504 |
| Handicap | 9 | 15 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 2 | 16 | 12 | 8 | |||
| Par | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 36 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 72 |
| Handicap (W) | 5 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 15 | 9 | 11 | 3 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 2 | 16 | 12 | 4 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
Bar, Restaurant, Halfway HouseAvailable Facilities
Showers, Locker RoomsReviews
Stereotype heaven! If you’re Stiff and all about etiquette this is the place to go!
At Check-In in this beautiful estate the reception lady said golfing is all about having fun and enjoying the time. So hence, I went down to the Golf Club reception where a rather downlooking unfriendly lady asked me if I needed help, which I did, but didn’t get.
As a casual but good golfer I was not allowed to rent or play golf at this course, which I found very disturbing. Not having a handicap is not the problem here, but not wearing stiff polo shirts and long pants, with an average of 35 degrees Celsius was. As a fashion designer I do know how to dress accordingly, just not dress accordingly to a single persons opinion.
The extremely unfriendly and bored Lady, of Indian heritage (not that any heritage is important at all, but I clearly want to address this to her exclusively..again) made it pretty clear that I am as unwelcome. As a Guest of the Hotel I am strongly disappointed and would’ve appreciated some respect. A No is a no, but there are several ways of addressing it.
The Course looks and feels amazing! So In no way is this addressing the extremely hard working staff to preserve this course and make it the beauty it is. But the lady taking care of the bookings at the front desk of the Gold Club Shop unfortunately completely disturbs this image. Sadly I have to say I felt like apartheid has been revived in 2023. Sad but true!
One of Cape Town's best
The debate about Arabella is this - If you're hanging out in the city for just a short amount of time, is it worth the hour and a half drive to play? Sure is. Once you get past the arduous uphill first hole, Arabella is delightful. No two holes feel the same. Picturesque doesn't do the surrounding setting of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, the Bot River Lagoon and Kogelberg Mountains justice. On my recent 11-course journey through South Africa, I'd probably rate my Arabella experience among the top 3 or 4 rounds of the trip. It's a treat.
Big setting for fun golf course
Laid out along the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, the Bot River Lagoon and Kogelberg Mountains, the views are special here and the holes are well designed. From the very first tee, an uphill par 4 where you need to add a club or two to the approach, this golf course is never boring. The par 3s and 5s are particularly strong, including a dynamite risk reward finishing par 5.
