John_Findlay
Tour Winner
Sitting here watching the Nedbank from Sun City on Sky and reliving some great memories from my visit there in 2005.
I was lucky enough to have ploughed a wedge onto Tiger at the Open at St Andrews and decided to treat myself and the better half to a lengthy jaunt to South Africa.
After a week in Capetown we travelled up to Sun City and I managed to get 3 games of golf in, 2 at the Gary Player, which I have to say is probably the most "enjoyable" course I've ever played. The bonus was that the stands and TV towers were in place in preparation for the Nedbank and with a caddy on the bag it made it a special treat.
The Lost City Course
After a warm up round at the Lost City course, where you have to play over a crocodile pit on one of the par 3's, I was paired up with 3 very friendly strangers for my first round at the Gary Player. I can see why Rory McIlroy has withdrawn due to the heat. It was 34 degrees (93 fahrenheit) when we teed off before 8am in October, which is early Spring there.
I had one of the rounds of my life that day, a +3, which included 5 birdies and a triple bogey 8 on the 10th. It helped that my caddy had once caddied for Darren Clarke at the Nedbank. He read every putt perfectly for me and I was rolling them in for fun. The greens were like billiard tables. The shots over the water at the 9th and 18th were great fun too. It seemed that the ball just sat up perfectly like a peach on the lush fairways and that inspired great confidence after years of tight Scottish links lies, even with my hired clubs.
My view of the Gary Player from the hotel.
My second round wasn't nearly so good (many lost balls for an 87 - go figure) but I'll always cherish memories of the course. It was around £40 per round too. Bonus.
I think this is the only course I've ever played with the stands in place and it makes you feel like a pro for a fleeting moment (during that first great round at least!) Hopefully one day I'll return. Now, when I watch the course on TV I'm remembering every shot I played on each hole both days.
Anyone else got great memories of courses you see on telly?
Sussing out the 18th green at the Gary Player
I was lucky enough to have ploughed a wedge onto Tiger at the Open at St Andrews and decided to treat myself and the better half to a lengthy jaunt to South Africa.
After a week in Capetown we travelled up to Sun City and I managed to get 3 games of golf in, 2 at the Gary Player, which I have to say is probably the most "enjoyable" course I've ever played. The bonus was that the stands and TV towers were in place in preparation for the Nedbank and with a caddy on the bag it made it a special treat.
The Lost City Course
After a warm up round at the Lost City course, where you have to play over a crocodile pit on one of the par 3's, I was paired up with 3 very friendly strangers for my first round at the Gary Player. I can see why Rory McIlroy has withdrawn due to the heat. It was 34 degrees (93 fahrenheit) when we teed off before 8am in October, which is early Spring there.
I had one of the rounds of my life that day, a +3, which included 5 birdies and a triple bogey 8 on the 10th. It helped that my caddy had once caddied for Darren Clarke at the Nedbank. He read every putt perfectly for me and I was rolling them in for fun. The greens were like billiard tables. The shots over the water at the 9th and 18th were great fun too. It seemed that the ball just sat up perfectly like a peach on the lush fairways and that inspired great confidence after years of tight Scottish links lies, even with my hired clubs.
My view of the Gary Player from the hotel.
My second round wasn't nearly so good (many lost balls for an 87 - go figure) but I'll always cherish memories of the course. It was around £40 per round too. Bonus.
I think this is the only course I've ever played with the stands in place and it makes you feel like a pro for a fleeting moment (during that first great round at least!) Hopefully one day I'll return. Now, when I watch the course on TV I'm remembering every shot I played on each hole both days.
Anyone else got great memories of courses you see on telly?
Sussing out the 18th green at the Gary Player
