Durban Country Club
On a heaving ridge of coastal dunes between the Indian Ocean and the city, Durban Country Club is South African golf's grand stage: a 1922 design that has hosted more national Opens than any course in the world, where Gary Player won his first South African Open and where the par 5 third remains one of the most admired holes in the game. It is also, for the travelling golfer, one of the best value great courses anywhere.
Photo: Durban Country Club via Google.
The verdict
Durban Country Club opened in 1922, laid out by Laurie Waters and George Waterman, two of the pioneering professionals of South African golf, and later refined by Stafford Vere Hotchkin in 1928 and Bob Grimsdell in the 1950s. The course occupies a rare piece of ground, a corridor of big, vegetated dunes running beside the Indian Ocean on the edge of the city, and the routing rides those dunes rather than flattening them, so fairways tumble, lies tilt and the wind off the ocean does the rest. At a par of 72 and around 6,780 yards it is not long by modern standards, and it does not need to be.
Our verdict is that this is the essential round of any KwaZulu-Natal trip and one of the must plays of South African golf, alongside the Cape courses and Leopard Creek. The opening stretch through the highest dunes, crowned by the famous par 5 third played down a rumpled valley, is among the best starts in the game, and the championship history runs deeper than anywhere in the country: the South African Open has been decided here more often than at any other venue, and Gary Player won the first of his record collection of national titles on this ground in 1956. For a green fee that costs less than a dozen range buckets at an American resort, it is an extraordinary piece of golf heritage to walk.
Durban Country Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1922
- Designer
- Laurie Waters and George Waterman
- Type
- Coastal dune parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,780 yards from the back tees
- Green fee
- Recently published visitor rates around R400 to R600; confirm current 2026 rates
Opening year, designers, par and yardage verified June 2026 from club and course databases; the green fee figures are recently published visitor rates and current 2026 rates will differ, so always confirm directly with the club before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The opening run is the legend. The 1st plays from a high tee with the ocean at your shoulder, the 2nd dives into the dunes, and the 3rd, a par 5 swooping through a crumpled valley of coastal bush with no fairway bunker needed, is routinely listed among the finest holes in world golf. Nothing about it is artificial: the architecture is the land itself, and the hole plays differently every day depending on what the wind off the Indian Ocean is doing.
The course then climbs and falls along the dune ridge, with elevated tees, plunging approaches and greens set in natural amphitheatres of bush and grass. Kikuyu fairways grab the ball, so the running game matters less than in Britain, and placing the drive on the correct shelf of these rolling fairways is the whole examination. The short 12th across a valley and the closing holes beneath the colonial clubhouse, where a century of SA Open history has been settled, finish the round with a sense of occasion few courses can match.
Durban's subtropical climate keeps the course green and open all year. The dry winter, roughly April to September, brings the most comfortable temperatures and the firmest ground, while midsummer is hot, humid and lush, with morning tee times the smart play. It is a walkable course with caddies available, and the club's traditions, dress code and famous clubhouse curry afterward are all part of the experience.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Members' club that welcomes visitors; book through the golf office in advance |
| Indicative green fee | Recently published visitor rates around R400 to R600 per round, less if affiliated or with a member; confirm current 2026 rates |
| Dress and etiquette | Traditional club with a published dress code on and off the course; check before you travel |
| Season | Year round; the dry winter, about April to September, is the most comfortable window |
| Getting there | Five minutes from central Durban beside Moses Mabhida Stadium; about 30 to 40 minutes from King Shaka International airport |
Fees and access rules change without notice and rand figures move with the exchange rate, so always confirm the current rate and availability directly with the club or your trip planner before booking. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The club sits practically in the city, beside Moses Mabhida Stadium and a few minutes from Durban's Golden Mile beachfront, so the natural base is a beachfront hotel along the promenade, where you can swim in the Indian Ocean before a midday tee time. The uMhlanga resort strip just north of the city adds polished hotels, restaurants and a second beach base within twenty minutes of the first tee.
For a wider KwaZulu-Natal golf trip, pair Durban Country Club with Zimbali and the coastal resort courses to the north, then consider the drive inland to the Drakensberg or a safari add on; Durban is also the natural gateway for combining golf with the game reserves of Zululand. A concierge can balance the city, the beach and the bush in one itinerary.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts in Durban and on the KwaZulu-Natal coast.
Play Durban Country Club on a South Africa golf trip
Tell us when you want to play and who is travelling, and one concierge books the tee times, pairs the round with the Cape, the Garden Route or a safari, and costs the whole trip to the head, with no obligation.
Durban Country Club questions
Who designed Durban Country Club and when did it open?
Durban Country Club opened in 1922, designed by Laurie Waters and George Waterman, two of early South African golf's leading professionals, with later refinements by Stafford Vere Hotchkin in 1928 and Bob Grimsdell in the 1950s. The course rides a ridge of coastal dunes between the Indian Ocean and the city, a par 72 of around 6,780 yards.
How many South African Opens has Durban Country Club hosted?
More than any other course. Durban Country Club has staged the South African Open at least 17 times, 18 by the club's own count, more national Opens than any venue in the world, and Gary Player won the first of his record haul of SA Open titles here in 1956. The championship pedigree is the reason the club brands itself the place where champions walk.
How much does it cost to play Durban Country Club?
It is one of the great value rounds in world golf. Published visitor rates in recent years have run from roughly 400 to 600 rand per round, only a few dozen US dollars for a course of this pedigree, with affiliated and member accompanied golfers paying less. Rates rise over time and vary by day, so always confirm the current 2026 fee directly with the club before booking.
Can visitors play Durban Country Club?
Yes. Durban Country Club is a members' club that welcomes visiting golfers, with bookings made through the golf office and a dress code in force. Durban's subtropical climate keeps the course open year round; the dry winter months from around April to September offer the most comfortable golf, while summer is hot, humid and greener. Always confirm tee time availability and current rates directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Opening year, designers, par, yardage and championship history verified June 2026; indicative fees from recently published visitor rates. Last reviewed June 2026.