Key Takeaways
- Fancourt in George is South Africa's finest golf resort, with three championship courses.
- The Links is repeatedly ranked the country's #1 course and hosted the 2003 Presidents Cup.
- It sits on the Garden Route — indigenous forest, Knysna's lagoons and dramatic sea cliffs.
- Pair it with a malaria-free Big Five reserve in the Eastern Cape — perfect for families, no anti-malarials.
- Best golfing weather is October–April; the malaria-free safari is rewarding year-round.
Fancourt: The Greatest Golf Resort in South Africa
Fancourt is where serious golfers go in South Africa. A grand Victorian country estate beneath the Outeniqua Mountains in George, on the Garden Route, it offers a five-star hotel, a destination spa and three championship courses — Montagu, Outeniqua and, above all, The Links. It is polished, self-contained and beautifully run, the kind of place where you can happily play all week and want for nothing.
The jewel is The Links: a walking-only, links-style masterpiece open only to resort guests, sculpted from what was once flat parkland into a rumpled, revetted-bunker test that plays like the great British and Irish links. It is repeatedly ranked the number-one course in South Africa and hosted the 2003 Presidents Cup and the 2005 Women's World Cup. Playing it is a highlight of any golfing life.
The Three Courses
- The Links — the #1-ranked, Presidents Cup-hosting course; walking-only and open only to resort guests. A true championship links.
- Montagu — a classic parkland championship course, playable and beautiful beneath the mountains, and the resort's most-played layout.
- Outeniqua — the second parkland course, superb for a relaxed round and for golfers of every level.
Between them, Fancourt offers a golfing week with genuine variety — the drama of the Links, the elegance of Montagu, the ease of Outeniqua.
The Garden Route
Beyond the gates lies the Garden Route, one of the most beautiful coastlines on Earth. Between rounds you can explore the lagoons and Heads of Knysna, walk in ancient indigenous forest, and stand above dramatic sea cliffs where the Indian Ocean breaks below. It is a scenic counterpoint to the golf that non-golfing partners and families love — and a reason many guests build in extra days.
The Malaria-Free Big Five Finale
What makes this route ideal for families is the safari: the Eastern Cape holds excellent private Big Five reserves — Kwandwe, Shamwari and others — that are entirely malaria-free. That means no anti-malarials, and a genuine Big Five experience safe for children and older travellers alike. A short flight or scenic drive from George, two or three nights in a malaria-free reserve delivers lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard on open 4x4 drives.
- No anti-malarials — the Eastern Cape reserves are malaria-free, safe for all ages.
- The full Big Five — lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard.
- Family-friendly lodges — many offer tailored programmes for children.
- Easy to reach — a short hop from George / the Garden Route.
When to Go
The Garden Route is a year-round destination, with the warmest, driest golfing weather from October to April. Winter (June–August) can be cool and crisp but still very playable, and the light is beautiful. The malaria-free Eastern Cape reserves offer good Big Five viewing throughout the year, so families can travel whenever suits the school calendar — the green summer months are especially lovely.
Plan Your Fancourt Golf Safari With Beyond Africa
We are a Cape Town-based, tailor-made safari and golf-travel house. We arrange your rounds at Fancourt — including the resort-guests-only Links — your Garden Route days, and a malaria-free Big Five safari that the whole family can enjoy with complete peace of mind. It is the perfect blend of serious golf, spectacular scenery and safe, genuine safari.
Ready to play South Africa's #1 course and safari malaria-free? 👉 Request a Fancourt golf-safari quote → 👉 Browse our golf-safari packages → 👉 WhatsApp us: +27 74 315 5782
