The award-winning Arabella Hotel & Spa Championship golf course has been upgraded to the tune of R10 million, with a redesign of 7 holes that will make even the most seasoned golfers reassess their game strategy.
Golf Director Jonathan Menteath says Arabella’s course has been rated one of the best in South Africa since it opened.
“But we can’t rest on our laurels when we know how passionate our regular players are, and that golfers who travel from all over to play here are used to world class courses.
“To remain competitive in that environment we have to continually improve and upgrade. We have been busy with the latest round of improvements for several months now, but we have finally completed the work and the course has never looked better.”
Menteath says the bulk of the investment has gone into the installation of a state-of-the-art Rainbird Integrated Control irrigation system across all 18 holes.
“Amongst numerous other goals that we set for ourselves, our new irrigation system forms part of a wider strategy to get better water coverage, more fertile soil and grass and thus better course condition in the years to come.
“The benefits of this type of system include enhanced course conditioning, individual head communication and control, reduced watering time contributing to substantial water savings, more targeted water application and lastly energy saving, which makes us a far more environmentally friendly estate.”
Last but not least was the physical changes to the course itself, which incorporates changes to two holes that form part of the challenging Arabella Turn.
Says Menteath: “The shot-making aspect of the Arabella Golf Course has been enhanced by the strategic placement of bunkers on holes 1 to 4 and hole 10. Additionally new trees have been planted on hole 15 that frame the hole beautifully from the tee. These holes now make both high and low handicap golfers think more about their shot selection from the tee.”
The Arabella Turn, like Augusta’s Amen Corner, comprises consecutive holes that are extremely challenging and anyone who completes the Arabella Turn (holes 3 to 5) on or under par receives a complimentary voucher from the Pro Shop for another round of golf.
Hole 16 has also been redesigned to give golfers a different perspective on a very challenging Par 4.
The Arabella Hotel & Spa is one of only a handful of 5-star resorts in South Africa where golfers can literally roll out of their rooms onto a Top 5 golf course. The clubhouse is part of the hotel, and the 1st tee box is barely 50metres away.
The Arabella Hotel & Spa is just over an hour’s drive from Cape Town. It is on the outskirts of South Africa’s whale-watching capital, Hermanus, which is arguably the world’s best land-based whale watching location. The area is also famous for Great White Shark cage diving, and for its pristine fynbos in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. South Africa’s celebrated Winelands region is less than an hour’s drive away.
