La Réserve Golf Links
La Réserve Golf Links is the Indian Ocean's most dramatic new course, a par 72 of about 6,570 metres that Peter Matkovich shaped with Open champion Louis Oosthuizen above the sea at Heritage Bel Ombre. Opened in December 2023, it hosted the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open the same month and was voted the World's Best New Golf Course at the 2024 World Golf Awards.
Photo: Nicandro Barile via Google.
The verdict
Mauritius has long been a golf and beach destination, but until recently it lacked a course to set the pulse racing. La Réserve Golf Links changed that overnight. Designed by South African architect Peter Matkovich with input from 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, it was carved from former sugarcane fields on elevated ground at Heritage Bel Ombre, the holes tumbling across open, wind blown terrain with the Indian Ocean filling the horizon.
It opened in December 2023 and was thrown straight into the deep end, hosting the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open on the DP World Tour within weeks, a tournament Oosthuizen himself won. In its first year it was named the World's Best New Golf Course at the 2024 World Golf Awards and Matkovich was voted architect of the year. Planted with native island grasses and certified for its environmental work, it is a genuine links experience in the tropics and the new headline act of Mauritian golf.
La Réserve Golf Links at a glance
- Opened
- 2023
- Designer
- Peter Matkovich with Louis Oosthuizen
- Type
- Links style
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,570 m (up to 6,727 m)
- Green fee
- Resort guests and visitors
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Heritage Golf Club and golf course architecture sources. La Réserve Golf Links was designed by Peter Matkovich with input from Louis Oosthuizen and opened in December 2023, a par 72 measuring about 6,570 metres, stretching to roughly 6,727 metres from the championship Louis tees. Green fees are arranged through Heritage Golf Club, with preferential rates for guests of the Heritage resorts (indicative, 2026), so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
La Réserve plays nothing like the lush resort courses elsewhere on the island. The ground is open and exposed, the native grasses framing fairways that roll and tilt, and the wind off the ocean is a constant partner in the shot. This is golf that asks for a low, running ball and a clear plan, the antithesis of soft target golf, and it is all the more thrilling for it.
The elevated routing serves up sweeping ocean views from nearly every tee, but the design is far more than scenery. Greens are built to receive the ground game, run offs gather the timid approach, and the par 3s in particular use the wind and the fall of the land to make club selection a genuine guess. The closing holes, sharpened for the Mauritius Open, give a player a real chance to attack or a quick way to unravel.
For a visiting golfer it is the rare tropical course that demands links thinking, and a welcome change of pace from the parkland resorts nearby. Take a caddie, respect the wind, and let the ground do some of the work.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Resort course at Heritage Bel Ombre; open to resort guests and visitors by booking through Heritage Golf Club |
| Green fee | Arranged through Heritage Golf Club, with preferential rates for Heritage resort guests (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Reserve through your hotel or the golf club, especially around the December tournament window |
| On the day | Carts and caddies available; bring wind protection and a low ball flight |
| Getting there | Bel Ombre on the south coast, about 50 minutes from Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport |
| Best months | May to October for the cooler, drier and breeziest links season on the south coast |
Access arrangements and fees verified June 2026; the course is run through Heritage Golf Club and rates change by season, so always confirm directly with the resort or your trip planner before booking.
Where to stay nearby
The natural base is the Heritage Bel Ombre estate itself, home to the Heritage Le Telfair and Heritage Awali resorts, which sit minutes from the first tee and offer preferential access to both La Réserve and the sister parkland course, Le Château. Staying on the estate keeps the golf, the beach and the dining within a short buggy ride.
The wider south coast of Mauritius is quieter and more dramatic than the north, with the Black River Gorges and a string of fine beaches close at hand. It is an ideal region to build a golf and beach week around, pairing the two Bel Ombre courses with the island's lagoons, diving and seafood.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near La Réserve Golf Links.
Build a Mauritius golf trip
We book La Réserve and its sister course, secure the right resort rates at Bel Ombre and arrange the transfers and beach time around your golf. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
La Réserve Golf Links questions
Who designed La Réserve Golf Links and when did it open?
La Reserve Golf Links was designed by South African architect Peter Matkovich with input from Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and opened in December 2023 at Heritage Bel Ombre in Mauritius.
What is the par and length of La Réserve?
La Reserve is a par 72 measuring about 6,570 metres, stretching to roughly 6,727 metres from the championship Louis tees, a links style layout on elevated ground above the Indian Ocean.
What tournament has La Réserve hosted?
La Reserve hosted the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open on the DP World Tour in December 2023, weeks after opening, a tournament won by co designer Louis Oosthuizen, and was named the World's Best New Golf Course at the 2024 World Golf Awards.
Can visitors play La Réserve?
Yes. La Reserve is a resort course open to guests of the Heritage resorts and to visitors, with tee times booked through Heritage Golf Club. Resort guests receive preferential access and rates.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.