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St Francis Links Golf Course and Canals
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History of St Francis Bay
St Francis Bay was first sighted by Portugese sailors in 1575 and is named after the Patron Saint of Sailors, St Francis.
What you see today has been pioneered by men like Leighton Hulett, who in 1954, set up a humble fishing camp on his farm “Goedgeloof”. It was his insistence on a certain amount of uniformity that gives St Francis Bay it’s unique character! Leighton later went on to acquire more land on the banks of the Kromme River, where in 1968, he began work on the beginnings of the impressive canals you can see today.
Cape St Francis, visualised by John Booysen who made a swop of his Chevrolet car for part of a farm bordering the lighthouse at Seal Point, originally became a township. In 1965, after just two years, the township was proclaimed the town of Cape St Francis.
Although the area is comparatively young compared to many coastal towns in South Africa, the keen senses and careful planning by its founders have led to an area rich in natural diversity and a unique aesthetic quality.
Links by Definition - Overview
In the early 14th century, either in the eastern Lothians of Scotland or maybe in the Netherlands where the game was called Kalvin, the game of golf began.
The Links land was the marginal land lying between the beaches and the arable fields, and only good for grazing of sheep and rabbits and the bleaching of cloth.
Open to the elements, wind and rain, the game was played on the links grasses between the dunes and the bush.
St Francis Links land may not have been grazing land for the sheep and rabbits, but a natural course between the beach and arable land it is. Jack Nicklaus has had the pleasure of taking Mother Nature’s best piece of links land and signed his name to something unique. St Francis Links will challenge all who play it and reward those who respect it.
The layout combines every element of shot making with its undulating terrain, greens and surrounds as well as its variation in length and direction.
The bunkers look as though they have been simply plowed out of the land. It is the bunkering that truly defines the quality and character of St Francis Links. Others have designed and built courses with a links look. Here you will easily see what separates St Francis Links from the rest – a consistent look throughout. One will agree that, almost from the opening shot, St Francis Links carries a look and feel that breathes history from times gone by.
The shape of the greens comes from the natural movement of the land. The greens have simply been placed on top of the sand, changing shape in construction as the wind changed its mind. Some are more undulating than others. All putting surfaces and green surrounds present a mental and physical test.
St Francis Links is South Africa’s Pure Links!
Golf Data
Founded in 1989 by Robbie Marshall, Golf Data is South Africa’s premier golf services group and has been involved with the planning, design, construction, maintenance & development of more than 30 premier South African golf courses and estates.
Golf Data was a founding partner of the St Francis Links development and co-designed and constructed the Links. Other successfully delivered Golf Data products include Leopard Creek (reconstruction), Pearl Valley (construction & maintenance), Pezula (construction & maintenance), Pecanwood (construction & maintenance), Oubaai (construction & maintenance), Simola (co-developer) & St Francis Links (originator & co-developer).
Golf Data are also the exclusive representatives of Jack Nicklaus & Nicklaus Design in South Africa and Golf Data golf courses have won the prestigious Golf Digest “Best New Golf Course” award on an unmatched four occasions.