Grahamstown & Surrounds Golf Courses

Bushman Sands Country Club

 

The 18-hole championship course at Bushman Sands has been designed by South African golfing legend, Gary Player. The Bushman Sands golf course follows the banks of the Bushmans and New Years Rivers, resembling the game's earliest "links" courses in Scotland with undulating fairways and pot bunkers.

Unique features include playing the first stroke over the active railway line, a double green (1600 sq.m) shared by the 2nd and 5th holes, crossing the Bushman's River and New Year's River on various holes and finishing with a final drive over a small cemetery in the centre of the fairway. This is a challenging, yet friendly course, to be enjoyed by all golfers.

 

Facilities: Bushman Sands golf course

 

Facilities include a halfway house, pro-shop and gents and ladies locker rooms each with showers and a steam room.

 

Features: Bushman Sands golf course

 

- Bunker's Restaurant & Pub
- Halfway house
- Golf Pro-shop
- Gents and ladies changing room facilities with steam rooms

 

Signature Hole: Bushman Sands golf course

 

Without a doubt the signature hole at Bushman Sands Has to be the demanding Par3 14 hole. The tee shot is played from elevated tee boxes across the New Years river to a green that sits at the same level as the tees. It requires a well struck accurate tee shot with a long iron and for the shorter hitter maybe even a hybrid club or fairway wood. The green is well bunkered at the front but there is a generous landing area on which to land your ball and a nice bail out area to to the left side of the green. Any player making a three here has done well, anyone making a birdie has certainly got one over on the master designer, Gary Player. 

Course Ranking:  Bushman Sands golf course
 

Bushman Sands is currently rated 80th in the Golf Digest Top 100 courses in South Africa in 2008. This is an improvement of 7 places from 2007. With the constant hard work and attention being put in by the course maintenance staff the course will continue to improve in the rankings. The ultimate goal being a place in the top 50.


Golf Carts: Bushman Sands golf course

We have 20 golf carts for hire, this being made up of 15 two seat carts and 5 four seat carts. The carts were all purchased brand new from Club Car at the end of 2008 and are available not just for golf but also for guests wanting to take a drive around the estate and golf course. The carts can be booked through the Pro-Shop on or email at proshop@riverhotels.co.za We would suggest booking in advance to avoid disappointment.

Halfway House: Bushman Sands golf course

The Halfway house overlooks the Par 3 ninth hole, seventh and tenth tee, not to mention the most magnificent Eastern Cape bushveld. Its a most welcome sight in Summer time to escape the heat and replenish ones energy reserves. There is a wide selection of beverages for sale as well as chocolates, sandwiches, chicken and beef burgers,stews, curry's,chicken ala king and chefs specials. There is also a drinks cart that drives around the course selling water, energy drinks and cold drinks.

 

Bushman Sands Country Club: Hole by Hole description / Measurements to Middle of Green

 

 

HOLE 1: PAR 4 - 289M
Champ - 289M / Club - 281M / Ladies - 260M
The opening tee shot is to a wide double fairway, shared with hole 18. A large fairway bunker on the right needs to be avoided and is best to play to the left side of the fairway which gives the best approach to the green. The green is slightly raised and bunkered at the front left.

 

HOLE 2: PAR 3 - 129M
Champ - 129M / Club - 124M / Ladies - 116M
This hole is unique in that it features a double green shared with hole 5. The overall size of the green is ±1600m2 .Tough putts can be expected if the golfer misses short and right. Even though this hole is short the target area is relatively small in terms of where the pin is placed for hole 2.

 

HOLE 3: PAR 5 - 506M
Champ - 506M / Club - 487M / Ladies - 453M
This hole often plays into the prevailing wind.4 fairway bunkers need to be avoided off the tee, if found they can be brutal as they are deep and feature typical scottish links-style bunker faces, which are near vertical. A large bunker needs to be avoided on the right for the second shot. Even though there is a lot of space on the right side of this hole, the ideal line of play is down the left side of the fairway to open up the green.

 

HOLE 4: PAR 4 - 350M
Champ - 350M / Club - 334M / Ladies - 299M
Under certain wind conditions the long hitter can avoid 4 deep fairway bunkers and have a short iron in to an elevated green which is relatively small. Pinpoint accuracy required off the tee and into the green.

 

HOLE 5: PAR 4 - 228M
Champ - 228M / Club - 205M / Ladies - 166M
This short drivable par 4 features a double green shared with hole 2. The green is guarded by strategically placed bunkers and out of bounds is close left. If the green is found the putts are not a formality as the green is severely undulating and offers many interesting pin placements.

 

HOLE 6: PAR 3 - 155M
Champ - 155M / Club - 150M / Ladies - 129M
On this hole the green is relatively small and only a very accurate tee shot will find the green. A bunker short right of the green creates an optical illusion of it being next to the green. A deep bunker on the front left of the green will gobble up anything that is slightly pulled.

 

HOLE 7: PAR 4 - 412M
Champ - 412M / Club - 383M / Ladies - 344M
This is a very demanding hole in that the river now comes into play off the tee to the left and on the second shots which need to carry the water. A large fairway bunker on the right is in play for the longer hitters. A well struck tee shot will leave a long shot of about 170m to the green.

 

HOLE 8: PAR 4 - 387M
Champ - 387M / Club - 366M / Ladies - 327M
This dogleg left par 4 features a river on the left forcing golfers to play more right .However the further right the tee shot is, the longer the second will be to a relatively narrow green. This is not a hole for the driver, a sensible lay up is required with a long iron or fairway wood.

 

HOLE 9: PAR 3 - 165M
Champ - 165M / Club - 134M / Ladies - 84M
This is a dramatic hole in that the tee shot has to carry a river. The green is positioned just on the other side of the river. The best play is to ensure you have enough club to clear the river and land on a relatively large green with subtle undulations.

 

HOLE 10: PAR 5 - 449M
Champ - 449M / Club - 421M / Ladies - 333M
From an elevated tee the golfer will be faced with a tee shot that needs to negotiate a cluster of bunkers on the right side of the fairway, which doglegs to the right. On this hole the golfer is faced with a tough approach shot as the green is positioned very close to the river bank on the right. Everything will feed down to the hole from the left due to the severe left to right slopes on the fairway and embankment to the left of the green.

HOLE 11: PAR 5 - 531M
Champ - 531M / Club - 498M / Ladies - 415M
The unique feature of this hole is that it shares a fairway with hole 16, which is also a par 5 playing in the opposite direction. A number of strategically placed pot bunkers confront the golfer on both the tee shot and second shot. The green which is slightly elevated is well bunkered and features a drop off area to the right, which is fairway, from where the golfer has the option of playing a variety of recovery shots.

 

HOLE 12: PAR 3 - 160M
Champ - 160M / Club - 140M / Ladies - 116M
This par 3 plays to a green that is well bunkered and angled slightly across the line of play, making good club selection important. The unusual feature of this hole is a bunker that is positioned slightly to the left and well short off the green and hides the left edge of the green. From the back tee a 4 or 5 iron may be required.

 

HOLE 13: PAR 4 - 398M
Champ - 398M / Club - 357M / Ladies - 313M
On this hole the golfer cannot see the green from the tee. A large landing area for the average golfer but for the longer hitters they will clear the crest of the fairway and end up in a deep swale with a short iron in. Once on the crest of the fairway the golfer will have a beautiful view of the green, which is set in a landscape of beautiful indigenous plants.

 

HOLE 14: PAR 3 - 190M
Champ - 190M / Club - 169M / Ladies - 105M
This dramatic hole will probably be the feature hole on this course. The hole plays across a valley and stream to a green that is wide but not very deep and is positioned close to the railway line. This hole will prove a testing challenge for most golfers.

 

HOLE 15: PAR 4 - 388M
Champ - 388M / Club - 372M / Ladies - 295M
This par 4 hole is positioned between the river on the left and the railway line on the right. Given this situation the tee shot is quite demanding. After a good tee shot the golfer will be faced with a long second shot to a relatively narrow green, guarded by a bunker at the front left of the green.

 

HOLE 16: PAR 5 - 589M
Champ - 589M / Club - 539M / Ladies - 487M
From the back tee the tee shot is across the river to a wide fairway shared with hole 11. There are no bunkers on the fairway as this is a long demanding hole which plays into the prevailing wind. Very few golfers will get up in two shots because the elevated green is positioned above a severe slope on the bank of the river, requiring a very accurate approach with a short iron.

 

HOLE 17: PAR 4 - 345M
Champ - 345M / Club - 331M / Ladies - 307M
From a slightly elevated tee the golfer will have a good view of this dogleg left par 4.The fairway is bordered by the railway line on the left and out of bounds fence on the right. A large fairway bunker awaits any tee shot that is pulled to the left. The two tiered green is small and nestles in a small hollow between the railway line on the left and boundary fence on the right.

 

HOLE 18: PAR 4 - 363M
Champ - 363M / Club - 271M / Ladies - 253M
The final hole offers a dramatic tee location, which is elevated and right next to the railway line and railway bridge crossing the river. Golfers may often have to wait for the train to pass before teeing off. A unique feature of this hole is the historic Alicedale Cemetery dating back to the 1800s, which is to the left of the fairway, but in play. Golfers who hit their golf ball into the cemetery will however be given free relief from it. The large 18th green is situated over the railway tracks and is right in front of the Bunkers restaurant and bar.

 

 

Directions to the Bushman Sands Golf Course

From Port Elizabeth:

 

Take the N2 Grahamstown Road. At Nanaga continue onto the N10 (do not take the Grahamstown turn off) and follow the Cradock/Cookhouse signs. 10Kms past Paterson you will see the Alicedale sign – Turn right onto the dirt road, it is in the process of being tarred. Follow this road for 16km into Alicedale. Total kms Approximately 110kms
 

Directions to Port Elizabeth: Turn right out of Bushman Sands Entrance, take the left turn past the Main Conference Centre – 16kms to the N10. Turn left at the T-junction and continue straight through to Port Elizabeth. Total kms approximately 110kms.

 

Directions from Grahamstown:

Take the N2 heading towards Port Elizabeth for about 20kms. The Alicedale turnoff is to your right and is sign posted. Take the dirt road for 32 kms. Bushman Sands will be on your right hand side at the end of Main Street. Approximate distance is 52 kms.

 

Directions to Grahamstown:

After exiting the hotel turn left and drive out of Alicedale. Take the dirt road for 32kms. Turn left onto the N2 at the T-junction, approximately 20 kms to Grahamstown. Approximate total distance is 52 kms.

 

Directions from Port Alfred: (or East London):

Head out of Port Alfred and route to Kenton on Sea. At Kenton on Sea, Take the R343 Grahamstown/Kariga turn off to the right. Drive through to Salem, at Salem turn right heading to Grahamstown. At the N2 T -junction turn left and travel for approximately 5 kms to the Alicedale turn off which will be on your right hand side. Travel on the dirt road for 32kms into Alicedale. Bushman Sands is on your right hand side. Approximate driving time is 1.5 hrs.

Directions to Port Alfred: (or East London):

On exiting the hotel turn to your left and drive out of Alicedale along the dirt road for 32kms. At the T-juction turn left onto the N2 and travel for approximately 5kms, turn to the right at the R343 Kenton on Sea/ Kariega sign post. At Salem turn to your left and continue to Kenton on Sea. At Kenton on Sea T-juction, turn to your left onto the coast road and follow it to Port Alfred. To East London,head through Port Alfred and continue with the coast road.