Built on what was originally a dusty paddock, the Pearl Valley Golf Club was designed by Nicklaus Design as a luxury estate course amidst the dry and arid Paarl bushland.

Given its harsh surroundings and ambitious development plans, the need for a famous signature designer was seen as of paramount importance, hence the involvement of the Nicklaus Design company. Appearing as a green oasis in the bush, the track is pure Nicklaus with few original design ideas but lush playing surfaces, bold, flowery bunkering and plenty of water.

A few good holes, such as the 10^th and 11^th, are let down by the un-strategic use of this water early on and the inability of the design team to effectively shape the listless ground into something memorable. More than anything, this looks precisely how a Nicklaus course is supposed to, and sadly we didn’t see anything new or interesting here to get excited about.