For a reputedly impoverished continent, Africa has a remarkable number of golf courses — 828 courses in 50 countries with a little more than half of those, 450, located in South Africa.
Egypt, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, South Africa, Tunisia and Zimbabwe are all gaining reputations as good destinations for a golf holiday.
There are 43 other countries in Africa with multiple courses (Nigeria has 50 and Zambia has 21) and it won’t be much longer before some of them join that list.
If you’re contemplating a golf holiday in Africa, here’s my list of the 10 best golf courses in Africa, in alphabetical order by country.
All are great courses and, with the exception of the Seychelles, there are plenty of other excellent courses in each country if you like variety.
The Cascades at Soma Bay, Hurghada, Egypt
This 6,991-yard, par-72 Gary Player design is a spectacular desert links course with lush green fairways, extensive water hazards, including the Red Sea on five holes, and a series of potentially problematic man-made lakes on four other holes.
Other hazards on this beautiful and challenging golf course include palm trees dotted around the fairways, strategically placed fairway bunkers on most holes, plenty of green-side bunkers, and, of course, the vast desert of sand that awaits you on every hole should you stray too far off line.
Other golf facilities available at the Cascades include a nine-hole par three course (also designed by Player), a wide range of the latest golf clubs to rent and a Golf Academy with a 60-bay driving range, several putting and pitching practice greens and a team of PGA professionals always on hand to sort your swing out.
Green fees at the Cascades course start from $96 a round.
By Tony Smart, for CNN
