River Club ☆ Follow

Founded in 1967 by businessman Punch Barlow, the River Club is an ultra-exclusive golf club located in the well-to-do Sandton district of Johannesburg. The par 71 18-hole course was originally designed by Robert "Bob" Grimsdell, with later improvements by Rob O'Friel in 1998. The course features Bent Grass greens and Kikuyu Grass fairways. The layout features a classical parkland fusion of tree-lined fairways, picturesque but threatening water hazards, and top quality greens and bunkering, with gently undulating terrain and many attractive dog-legging holes and inspired par-3s.

At the par-4 13th, par-3 14th and par-5 15th, water hazards come closest as the Braamfontein Spruit, a tributary of the Jukskei River, flows through the course. The course packs quite a punch at the end with the long par-3 17th requiring a serious carry over water, and a challenging par-4 18th with a potentially long approach into a well-bunkered and water-protected green. Golf commentator Ewan Murray has nominated the River Club as "one of the top ten courses in the world today," highlighting the last five finishing holes as "maybe the best five finishing holes in golf." The River Club does not operate a pay-and-play facility, so access is limited to members or guests of members, with caddies being compulsory.