Your Golf Travel - Extraordinary Golf Experiences - Flipbook - Page 24
Golf & Wine: A Heady Mix
Golf and wine have long been comfortable
A good place to start your golfing/wine itinerary
bedfellows in South Africa, so it’s no surprise
is Constantia, one of South Africa’s most
that grape and green rub gently alongside each
revered wine regions, located 30 minutes south-
other in the country’s main Winelands, offering
west of Cape Town. Here, among the numerous
golfers and oenophiles the chance to sample an
wine estates, you will discover Steenberg Golf
intoxicating mix of both activities without having
Club, which, rather handily, has its own winery,
to wander too far from the fairways or, indeed,
hotel and restaurant. Thankfully, the course isn’t
the tasting rooms.
too hard, and the generous fairways will be a
godsend for those feeling the after-effects of
It doesn’t matter whether you are a certified
an afternoon’s tasting. Nearby Paarl offers the
wine snob, or someone who just likes a chilled
chance to sample South African golfing legend
glass of something white over lunch (and a
David Frost’s latest vintage at his winery, after
bottle of red at dinner), it’s hard to think of
which a game at the wonderful Jack Nicklaus
another country in the world that does wine
designed Pearl Valley is essential.
tourism better than South Africa.
If you’re still feeling thirsty, you should swing by
The winery tours are informative and
Stellenbosch, the spiritual home of Cabernet
entertaining in equal measure, while most
Sauvignon in South Africa, which is home to
wineries boast superb restaurants, offering the
more than 150 wine estates. One of the most
chance to pair your favourite wines with the
popular stops in town is Ernie Els’s eponymous
finest cuisine in the region. A glass of Pinotage
winery, which is also home to the Big Easy
will taste all the better accompanied by a plate
Restaurant and a tour-standard chipping and
of cured meats, while you’ll find a seafood
putting green. Surrounded by the beautiful
platter slips down a treat with a well-chosen
Helderberg Mountains, Stellenbosch itself is
Sauvignon Blanc.
a thriving university town filled with gorgeous
Extraordinary Stellenbosch
Sip and chip with the
Big Easy at Ernie Els’
Winery, Stellenbosch.
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Ernie Els’ vineyard fittingly sits
in the heart of Stellenbosch, the heart of
South African wine and is only six miles
from Stellenbosch Golf Club.
His passion for wine is only rivalled by
his passion for golf, exemplified by the
tour-standard chipping green sitting at
the front of the terrace.
You can visit Ernie Els Winery
or create a bespoke wine tour with
the help of Jason Launder, our South
Africa Specialist, who is available
on 020 7336 5440.
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yourgolftravel.com // 0800 193 6628 // South Africa