Devonvale is a friendly, playable course for your average golfer with spectacular views that stretch all the way to Cape Town, writes MARK SAMPSON.
Perfectly located between Cape Town, Paarl and Stellenbosch, Devonvale Golf & Wine Estate has you covered when it comes to golf, accommodation and fine wine.
Dating back to 1964, designer Ken Elkin made the most of the location with the course now best described as a mature parkland layout. Most fairways are protected by large trees, emphasising the need for accuracy off the tee.
Another very noticeable aspect of the course is the greens. Like the lay of the land, one can expect very few flat putts, with subtle to strong contouring and speed very much above average for many of the surrounding courses. They are as pure as one can expect and if putting is your strong point, you are in for a treat as your putts will drop all day long once you crack the subtle contouring and speed relationship.
The Devonvale golf course is located on land previously used as a working quarry. The sloping nature of the land quickly becomes apparent on the tee of the 1st hole, a short par four which navigates steeply uphill to the green. The two bunkers right have recently been removed so very little danger can be expected on this 279m opener.
Elevation changes and seasonal winds are the main protection of the layout which spans a mere 5,571m in length. The length can be increased to 5,962m off the championship tees for tournaments of which it has hosted numerous amateur events.
The front nine heads up to the high point on the course and navigates in a clockwise loop back to the clubhouse. It lies on the higher land of the estate and makes its way around the main water source on the course. With the elevated views and the holes around the dam it can be argued to be the prettier of the nines; that said, the beauty does come at a price of a more challenging nine.
This is obvious on the par-five 3rd which winds its way down the south-west corner of the property. At 450m in length, the longest on the course, one could be fooled into playing aggressively off the tee, but rest assured anything but pure precision will result in major trouble. The entire left side of the hole is out of bounds and the right side is populated by large trees and long grass. The good news is the fairway does widen the closer you get to the green.
The closing hole on the front nine is a stunning short hole of 154m. It plays along the edge of the dam and is one of the few holes that is relatively flat from tee to green. One can expect some sort of crosswind here with the long, thin green having water left and bunkers right.
The 9th at Devonvale
The back nine starts with a strong downhill par four and then ‘flattens’ out with most of the holes cutting back and forth on one another.
The 11th is the first par five on the back nine, playing to a length of 434m. The hole rises from the tee as the fairway doglegs from left to right. Two fairway bunkers must be avoided to unlock a birdie opportunity, leaving a long approach to a very well-protected green.
The 12th is one of the shortest par fours on the course, spanning a mere 284m in length. The stroke 18 requires an iron off the tee and a short approach to reach one of the more contoured greens on the course. If the flag is towards the front of the green do your utmost to leave your approach short.
The stroke-two 14th is a clever par four requiring good course management to stay out of danger. The fairway slides from right to left with a water hazard down the left side and a small water concourse making its way across the entire fairway at approximately 180m from the tee.
The clever play is a long iron off the tee, leaving a short- to mid-iron to the green. The green is well protected by three bunkers, so having an approach from the fairway is desirable.
The closing hole at Devonvale is a final hoorah of elevation change. This 338m par four rises steeply up the hill and ejects you beside the clubhouse and 19th hole. The increase in elevation, and often playing into a strong wind, are the main reasons for its stroke 6 rating. The fairway is rather generous but slopes strongly off the right side down to the driving range. Greenside, one can expect danger both left back and right of the green, which slopes severely from back to front.
Devonvale does not position itself as a championship course but more a friendly, very playable option for your average golfer. Pricing is also hugely competitive, making it a good choice for those delving into golf for the first time. The affordable rates are very much responsible for the current increase both in membership and rounds played per year. Being a family-run affair, one can expect a personal touch from arrival all the way through to the 19th hole. If you are staying in the hotel, a homely feel can be expected in a friendly, clean and efficient environment.
One of the biggest drawcards of Devonvale is its amazing location both for aesthetics and proximity to a huge variety of amenities in the surrounding area. From wine farms, coastline, airport and the West Coast, it is primed for a visit from out-of-towners. The large clubhouse also has space for any occasion, breakaway or conference.
The 18th and Devonvale clubhouse
Directly translated, the Bottelary valley in which the estate is found means pantry due to the original area’s old-day wide variety of natural resources. This very much resonates with the estate and all it offers, both as a golf facility and hotel.
SIGNATURE HOLE
Par-five 17th
17th at Devonvale
The course has several memorable holes with the par-five 17th a standout.
At 403m in length the signature hole is very much a birdie opportunity for the stronger players. The hole is a very strong right-to-left dogleg and off the tee requires the correct line depending on club in hand. Those going for it in two will need to ‘cut the corner’ or have a strong draw on the ball flight while also avoiding two well-placed bunkers on either side of the landing zone. If you go too straight and long you end up in the driving range and going left on the fairway of the 12th is out of bounds.
Once the drive is safely negotiated it’s a green light all the way for birdie. The approach is somewhat daunting to the semi-island green with water left and two large bunkers right.
The small, circular green is not a large target but does have a generous fringe surrounding it, allowing for a certain degree of error. The green does slope quite strongly towards the water, so something to keep in mind is if you miss it right you are playing towards the water as well as down-slope.
It’s certainly one of the more fun and picturesque holes on the course.
– This article first appeared in the Autumn 2025 issue of Compleat Golfer magazine.
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Photos: Mark Sampson
Article Link: Featured Course: Devonvale