Sun City Hotels & Pilanesberg Golf Courses

Some ten years after the completion of the Gary Player Country Club at the Sun City Resort in the Pilanesberg, the popularity of the Sun City Resort and its many attractions demanded that another golf course be built. Again Gary Player was commissioned to design the course, his challenge being to create a very different golfing experience. A mere two-minute ride by shuttle bus from the Gary Player Country Club is the imposing Palace of the Lost City. In its shadow lies the legendary Lost City Country Club with the spectacular golf course.

As with its older twin, the Lost City’s course required extensive earth-moving, yet amazingly, the finished product appears to have existed as long as the mythical Lost City. The Lost City golf course defies being bracketed into any particular genre – having touches of mountain, desert and even a brand of African parkland in its make-up. It is interesting to note that the architect of the Lost City’s course argues against the views of the independent judges of South Africa’s golfing facilities, claiming that this layout is in fact better than the Gary Player Country Club.

Perhaps the fact that this was the first golf course in Africa to benefit from the work of a professional shaper has something to do with his position. The fairways were originally planted with the Bayview strain of Bermuda, but later replanted with the hardier Kikuyu, making them easier to hit. Change in elevation is just one of this course’s features, another is its series of lakes, which separate the 9th and finishing hole. The par-three 13th features a green constructed in the shape of the African continent which is bordered by a pond that is home to several large Nile crocodiles.

Like the Gary Player Country Club, the golfer can choose whether to tackle the course from its championship tees ( suggested only for the longer hitting, single-figure handicappers), the standard markers or forward tees. Even playing the shortest route presents a fascinating test, as the approach to the greens (clad in bent grass) are protected by the trademark Player bunkers, that demand careful judgment. If, as many golf course critics maintain, a great layout should test every one of the 14 clubs, the Lost City passes the acid test with flying colours.

• Course designer Gary Player
• Date course opened 1993
• Course type Desert style / Bushveld
• Grass type Fairways, tees and semi-rough – Kikuyu
• Greens – Bent
• Driving range Available
• Course rating Professional - 75
• Championship - 73
• Club - 70
• Ladies - 72
• Length of course Professional - 6983 metres
• Championship - 6549 metres
• Club - 5953 metres
• Ladies - 4940 metres
• Par 72
• Cart hire Compulsory and included in green fee
• Club hire Available
• Dress code Standard dress code applies
• Soft spikes only.

Clubhouse facilities Pro Shop (fully stocked), restaurant, bar, locker rooms and showers, halfway house
and practice putting green.

Other sporting facilities at the Sun City Resort include:

- 11 tennis courts (5 floodlit)

- 2 squash courts

- fully equipped health club and spa at the Gary Player Country Club

- driving range

- full range of watersports located at Waterworld

- 2 jogging tracks

- volleyball

- mountain biking