In
the early 1960's interest grew in the idea of establishing a formal
golf club with its own course in Durbanville. After lengthy
discussions the Municipality agreed to lease the area on which the
course now stands - at a rent of R2 per year! The finding of
sufficient water and the siting of a dam capable of holding 20
million litres of water took much time and effort. Both of these
issues were eventually resolved and in 1967 work on the course
finally commenced.
Clearing of the rough was a
formidable task as a large part of the area was covered in Port
Jackson and heavy scrub. Volunteer work parties, who provided their
own equipment, spent many Sundays and their spare time clearing and
taming the rough. The work was largely done with primitive
equipment such as spades, handsaws and home
lawnmowers. By
the end of 1968 the course had been fully laid out, the grass
planted and over 300 trees established. In 1970 work commenced on
the clubhouse and when it was completed in 1971, the course was
opened for play.
The
course has come a long way since those early days. There are no
steep hills to climb, nor thick jungle to swallow your golf ball.
Here you will now find open space with beautiful fairways, bent
grass greens the equal of any others and a course in immaculate
condition. All in all, a wonderful setting for a game of golf, IF
you can hit straight!
This
round of golf is a little out of the ordinary.
The "ball" you're looking for was
VERY badly sliced off the nearby 12th tee overlooking
the course's water supply dam. It's a par 3 across the dam from
which one has a view of the course and onward to the distant
mountains. It is
not necessary to enter the golf course or dam surrounds to search
for your the ball as it's definitely WAY "out of bounds".
It's better to search from the adjacent road
reserve.
Everyone knows about the
19th hole at golf courses, but in this ball went
straight into the 20th. A hook is generally to be
avoided in golf, but on this particular round, you'd have been much
better off if you had hit one. Look carefully, the club you need
for this shot is in the top of the bag. Retrieving your ball
with it could fiddly, but then no one ever said that golf is an
easy game.
PS:
If you hear someone shouting FORE! while searching, make like one
of the dam's residents and ......
Please restore the course (and club)
for the next player and bring along your own pen to record your
score.