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Johannesburg - Rivalry between South Africa's Gary Player and American Jack Nicklaus is alive and well in the heart of the Highveld.
The new Nicklaus-designed Steyn City Golf Course in northern Johannesburg was launched to the media on Tuesday and neighbours the Gary Player-designed Dainfern Golf and Residential Estate north of Fourways.
Steyn City has spared no expense, and even before the summer rains have begun, the lush-green fairways are all manicured to perfection.
Situated in the valleys of the Jukskei River between William Nicole Drive and Cedar Road, the course measures over 7 000 metres on a championship 18-hole layout.
The Sunshine Tour would be paying attention to the course as the venue for future tournaments, but Steyn City CEO Giuseppe Plumari said hosting a professional event was not yet high on his agenda.
"We would love to host the Sunshine Tour. I'm not sure we have the budget for that right now as we're mostly selling homes on the estate," he said.
"Our main objective is to give a high-end product to the homeowners, that's our focus for now."
Plumari did, however, proclaim his ambition to have the course ranked among the best in the country.
"If we could achieve a ranking in the top-10 courses in South Africa, that could be a dream come true. That's what we're aiming for, and if we can make that we'd be extremely proud."
Apart from golf, the 800 hectare multi-billion rand estate would feature high-end housing and a number of outdoor activities including cycling, tennis and skateboarding.
"We're launching in March and there are 124 units for sale, plus about 300 stands and we're in the process of building 800 apartments with a shopping centre on the estate.
"Personally, I don't think there is anything in South Africa that will offer all the facilities we do."
Construction began on the course in 2009. The greens were planted with bentgrass and the fairway and rough with cool-season fescue/rye grass which gives the course a green playing surface all year round.
