224 - Hlalanathi Resort & Amphitheatre Golf Club

Location: Drakensberg, South Africa

Rating: 6.8

Hlalanathi is a resort that I grew up coming to regularly in the December months to go camping with my parents and friends. This was our first time back in 16 years and it was definitely worth the journey.

With more stunning backdrops of the Drakensberg amphitheatre, it is absolutely worth stopping by if you are passing through the area. Similar to Monks Cowl, there are 9 holes and 18 tee boxes. The design offers a great variety of different holes with no easy one. Some of the more memorable ones are the par 3, 3rd hole which is the most elevated tee box I have played on. 

The par 5 9th hole is another cracker. If you play here on a hot day without a cart this hole is brutal. Uphill and often into the wind and at 520 meters, it is the last thing you want after a tough test of golf. My childhood memories of coming to Hlalanathi are flooded with visions of playing this hole and dragging myself up to the finish. Now in a cart and with the thought of an ice cold beer it wasn’t so bad.

Sadly at this time of the year and with heavy rainfall in the province it wasn’t in lush condition, very boggy but in the dryer months of the year would be much better. Absolutely worth a stop, if not for the views alone!