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Simola Championship Golf Course

Simola is a spellbinding Jack Nicklaus signature design course that meanders along the impressive landscape high atop Simola hill. The hotel buildings stand high on a ridge overlooking the course, with views of the Knysna Lagoon. Unique to coastal courses, the wind is rarely a factor here, while it has often been said that the incredible views will make it hard to keep your head down.

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Jack Nicklaus wrote of his design at Simola that it was his “…aim to create a golf course that will be a demanding test of skill for the accomplished golfer playing from the back tees. But, at the same time, I want to offer a challenging, yet enjoyable experience for the average or beginner player who plays from the appropriate tees and thinks his or her way around the golf course.” The result is a legendary golf course that challenges and delights members and visitors every day.

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Nicklaus designed five par 5s and five par 3s. Even with all the uphill and downhill holes, Nicklaus has cleverly achieved a course where you seldom have an uneven lie.

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The short holes are a feature of the layout, testing a wide range of clubs in the bag from a fairway metal at No 6 to a wedge at No 17. The par 5s are excellent, beginning with the switchback opening hole which must be one of the most challenging on the course. Three of the par 5s are played to elevated greens, and these are tough targets to hit, even with a short pitch.

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The clubhouse is part of the main hotel area, and the bar on the upper floor has an outstanding view of the course below.

 

Course Designer

Jack Nicklaus

Feature Holes

With all the elevation changes at Simola the result is several exciting tee shots from high vantage points, notably the par-4 second where the tee is more than 100 metres above the fairway, the long par-3 sixth, with its magnificent views over the Knysna River, and the par-4 eighth. The par-4 13th is a superb downhill hole with the green tucked away at the bottom of an attractive vale.

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Practice Facility

Simola has an excellent short-game area, with two practice greens, alongside the 13th hole, which can be reached by cart.

Course Summary

  • Four tees / Par 72

  • Yellow 6401 metres, CR74.2/142

  • White 5349 metres, CR71.9/137

  • Blue 5463 metres, CR69.6/126

  • Red 4819 metres, CR65.9/113

  • Women’s blue, CR74.9/131

  • Women’s red, CR70.5/121

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