Golf in Sun City
Two Gary Player championship courses in the South African bushveld, headed by the Country Club that hosts the Nedbank Golf Challenge, and a Big Five safari at Pilanesberg over the fence. The courses, the season, the costs and how to build the trip.
Photograph: Gary Player Country Club, Sun City, via Google
Why golf in Sun City
Sun City is South Africa's great golf and leisure resort, a self contained world of hotels, casinos and championship golf rising out of the bushveld in the North West province, about two hours by road from Johannesburg and Pretoria. For the traveling golfer it is one of the most complete single resort destinations anywhere: two Gary Player designed championship courses, a calendar that revolves around one of the most glamorous events in world golf, and a genuine Big Five game reserve sharing its fence. You come for the golf and stay for the spectacle, and you leave having ticked off a tournament course and a safari in the same week.
The headline act is the Gary Player Country Club, a muscular par 72 that has hosted the Nedbank Golf Challenge, long billed as Africa's Major, every November since 1981, drawing the biggest names in the game. Its sister, the Lost City course, is the theatrical one, threading through a fantasy of ruined temples and ending the front nine with a par 3 over a pit of live crocodiles. Add the Pilanesberg National Park next door and the four resort hotels around the courses, and Sun City makes a bucket list trip that suits couples, buddies and corporate groups alike.
How to think about a Sun City golf trip
The Country Club
The tournament course, a long, demanding Gary Player par 72 that hosts the Nedbank Golf Challenge each November. The reason most golfers come, and a genuine test from the back tees.
The Lost City
The scenic, theatrical second course, winding through desert, mountain and African parkland past mock ruins, with the famous crocodile guarded par 3 13th. More fun, less brutal.
The safari pairing
Pilanesberg National Park sits on the doorstep, a malaria free Big Five reserve in an ancient volcanic crater. The single best reason to add two or three nights and turn golf into a once in a lifetime trip.
The courses that matter
Gary Player Country Club
The flagship and one of South Africa's most famous courses, host of the Nedbank Golf Challenge since 1981. A long, tree lined par 72 that plays firm and fast, with kikuyu fairways, water in play down the closing stretch and a brutal finish that has decided many a tournament. Walking is the tradition. The must play round at Sun City.
Lost City
The resort's second championship course and the more photogenic, set among desert scrub, rocky outcrops and the mock ruins of the Lost City theme. The signature par 3 13th carries a pit of live Nile crocodiles short of the green. Generally a cart course given the terrain, and the easier, more enjoyable of the two for most groups.
Pilanesberg and the bushveld
Not golf, but the reason to extend the trip. Pilanesberg National Park, minutes from the resort, holds lion, elephant, rhino, leopard and buffalo in a malaria free crater. A morning game drive between rounds turns a golf break into the kind of trip a group remembers for life.
Johannesburg and Pretoria courses
On the drive in from the airport, the great clubs of Gauteng, among them Glendower and the Els designed Serengeti, make an easy add for a longer South African golf tour. A natural way to bookend a Sun City stay with a couple of city rounds.
Designers, opening years, pars and yardages verified June 2026 from Sun International and leading course databases. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
Best golf courses in South Africa Check tee time availability
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| April to September | Dry, sunny, mild winter days, cool mornings | Prime golf and safari season, the best window to travel |
| October and March | Warm shoulder months, mostly settled | Excellent value with good weather either side of summer |
| November to February | Hot, humid, afternoon thunderstorms | Playable early, lush courses, the Nedbank is in November |
| Tournament week | Nedbank Golf Challenge, November | The Country Club closes to visitors around the event |
Sun City plays year round, but the dry South African winter and spring, April to September, are ideal for golf and for pairing with a Pilanesberg safari.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Championship green fee | Around R1,400 to R2,800 | Roughly $75 to $150; Gary Player Country Club or Lost City |
| Resort guest rate | Reduced on package | Stay and play and multi round rates lower the per round cost |
| A week of golf and safari, all in | Around $2,500 to $5,000 per person | Resort hotel, several rounds, a Pilanesberg safari, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Almost everyone arrives through Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International Airport, the main gateway to southern Africa, with direct long haul flights from Europe, the Middle East and beyond. From there Sun City is about a two to two and a half hour drive northwest, an easy run that many groups break with a round in Gauteng. Resort transfers and short charter flights to the nearby Pilanesberg airstrip are both options for those who would rather not drive. Once at Sun City everything is walkable or served by resort shuttle, and the two courses sit minutes apart, so a hire car is only needed if you plan to range further into the bushveld.
Where to stay
The resort offers four hotels at different price points, all within the complex and a short hop from the first tee. The Palace of the Lost City is the landmark, an opulent five star fantasy of a hotel beside the Lost City course, while the Cascades and the Sun City Hotel suit those who want comfort closer to the casino and entertainment, and the Cabanas are the family friendly, better value choice. For the full experience, many groups split the trip, a few nights in the resort for the golf and a couple at a Pilanesberg safari lodge for the game viewing.
Plan your Sun City golf trip
Tell us your group, your dates and whether you want the two courses, a safari add on at Pilanesberg, or a wider South African tour. One concierge costs the trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Sun City golf questions
How many golf courses are there at Sun City?
Two 18 hole championship courses, both designed by Gary Player: the Gary Player Country Club, which hosts the Nedbank Golf Challenge every November, and the dramatic Lost City course, famous for its par 3 13th over a pit of live crocodiles. More golf, including Pilanesberg, sits within easy reach.
Which is the best golf course at Sun City?
The Gary Player Country Club is the flagship, a par 72 of around 7,160 yards that has hosted the Nedbank Golf Challenge, often called Africa's Major, since 1981. The Lost City course is the more theatrical and scenic of the two. Most visitors play both across a stay.
When is the best time to play golf at Sun City?
Sun City plays all year, but the South African autumn and winter, April to September, bring dry, sunny, mild days ideal for golf and for pairing with a Pilanesberg safari. Summer is hotter with afternoon storms. The Nedbank Golf Challenge is staged in November.
How much does golf cost at Sun City in 2026?
Indicative 2026 green fees run from roughly R1,400 to R2,800, around $75 to $150, with resort guest rates and stay and play packages reducing the cost. Always confirm directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers, opening years, pars and yardages verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.