Leopard Creek
Gary Player laid out Leopard Creek in 1996 on the banks of the Crocodile River, hard against the southern boundary of the Kruger National Park, with the stated aim of building a South African Augusta. A par 72 of about 7,300 yards, immaculately conditioned and patrolled by wildlife, it hosts the Alfred Dunhill Championship and ranks among the finest and most exclusive courses on the continent.
Photo: Leopard Creek Country Club via Google.
The verdict
Leopard Creek was the vision of the businessman Johann Rupert, who recruited Gary Player to design a course on the edge of the Kruger, and it opened in 1996. The brief was Augusta in the bushveld, and the result delivers it: flawless fairways and white sand bunkering threaded through indigenous trees, with the Crocodile River and the national park forming the boundary along several holes.
It is the setting that lifts it beyond a very good Player design. Hippos and crocodiles laze in the river below the closing holes, elephants and antelope move through the park beyond the fences, and the conditioning rivals anything in the southern hemisphere. Access is tightly held, which only adds to the allure, and a round here is the centrepiece of any high end South African safari and golf trip.
Leopard Creek Country Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1996
- Designer
- Gary Player, 1996
- Type
- Bushveld parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,300 yds
- Green fee
- Members & guests
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the club and leading course databases. Leopard Creek was designed by Gary Player and opened in 1996 on the banks of the Crocodile River beside the Kruger National Park, built to be a South African Augusta. A par 72 of about 7,300 yards, immaculately conditioned and ringed by wildlife, it hosts the Alfred Dunhill Championship and is among the most exclusive courses in Africa. Indicative fees change by season and year, so always confirm access and any green fee directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Leopard Creek plays as a polished parkland test, wide enough off the tee to tempt aggression but defended by water, by clever bunkering and by greens of genuine subtlety. Player routed it to build toward the river, so the drama and the risk rise on the closing holes of each nine.
The par 5s are the signatures, reachable but guarded, and the most famous is the closing thirteenth on the back nine sequence where the green sits above the Crocodile River with the Kruger stretching beyond. It is one of the great views in world golf, and one of the great gambles when the tournament is on the line.
The eighteenth completes the loop in front of the clubhouse with water in play to a green that has decided more than one Alfred Dunhill Championship. Leopard Creek rewards the player who controls trajectory and spin into firm, fast greens, and it does it in a setting that no other course on earth can match.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private and highly exclusive; play is generally reserved for members and their guests, and for guests of select surrounding lodges |
| Green fee | No general public rate; any guest or lodge arranged green fee is indicative and quoted on request (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Arrange through a member, an affiliated luxury lodge, or a specialist safari and golf operator well in advance |
| On the day | Carts standard on the bushveld layout; expect strict pace, dress and security protocols on the Kruger boundary |
| Getting there | Near Malelane in Mpumalanga, close to the Kruger's southern gates, about 4.5 hours from Johannesburg or a short flight to Kruger Mpumalanga International |
| Best months | April to September for the cooler, drier dry season when game viewing is at its best |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; policies change, so always confirm directly before planning a visit with the club or your trip planner.
Where to stay nearby
Leopard Creek sits in safari country, so the natural pairing is a stay at one of the private lodges around the southern Kruger, several of which can help arrange access to the course. A few days of morning game drives and afternoon golf is the template for a trip here, with the Crocodile River and the park as a constant backdrop.
For a wider tour, Leopard Creek pairs with the cliff top and coastal courses around Cape Town and the Garden Route for a two centre South African journey, the bushveld and the big game in the northeast against the ocean links and winelands in the south.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Leopard Creek Country Club.
Build a Leopard Creek and the Kruger golf trip
We secure the Leopard Creek Country Club tee times where access allows, pair them with the best of the region and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Leopard Creek Country Club questions
Who designed Leopard Creek and when did it open?
Leopard Creek was designed by Gary Player for the businessman Johann Rupert and opened in 1996 on the banks of the Crocodile River beside the Kruger National Park.
What is the par and length of Leopard Creek?
Leopard Creek is a par 72 of about 7,300 yards from the championship tees, an immaculately conditioned bushveld parkland course.
Can visitors play Leopard Creek?
Access is very limited. Leopard Creek is a private club, with play generally reserved for members, their guests, and guests of select surrounding lodges. Arrange any visit well in advance.
What tournament does Leopard Creek host?
Leopard Creek is the long time host of the Alfred Dunhill Championship, jointly sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Sunshine Tour.
Related
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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.