Killarney Country Club
Par: 72
Lengths:
Men – 6154m (6730 yards)
Ladies – 5294m (5790 yards)
Championship – 6401m (7000 yards)
The Killarney Country Club (KCC) is one of Johannesburg’s oldest and best known courses. Nestled in the Northern suburbs of Johannesburg, KCC is a beautiful parklands course. The course flanks the M1 motorway on one side, and the exclusive Killarney neighbourhood on the other. The area the course is built on is narrow and long, so the holes are designed rather close together, however KCC makes great use of the tight squeeze to deliver holes that are challenging and fun to play. Not all of the holes are long, but the short holes make use of well placed hazards and the longer holes take a chance to bite back at your scorecard.
Because the Killarney Country Club is a well established course, the trees that line the fairways of this parklands course make shot selection of paramount importance. A drive down the wrong side of the fairway can eliminate an approach to the green. Like Parkview, KCC also has a sloot (small stream/river) that runs the entire length of the course and plays a part in nearly all the holes. The sloot has that magnetic effect which draws balls in. Playing KCC will either prove you are a master of the recovery shot, or destroy your round. Because of the relatively short length of the course and the value placed on shot choice and course management, KCC offers golfers a great chance to go low and break your handicap. It is centrally located, well kept and they offer a plethora of specials all year round.
Featured Holes:
Front 9:
9th Hole
The finishing hole on the front round is a make or break hole. You can either set yourself up for a great second nine, or you can put to bed all of your good work. The 9th hole should actually be the stroke one, however it is on the easier nine, so it remains Killarney Country Club’s stroke two. The tee shot is narrow, with a dogleg to the left. Driver is not an option for the big hitters as the sloot that runs down the left of the rough, cuts across the fairway at around 170m out from the green. Because the fairway is flanked closely on both sides with trees, your first shot is intimidating. Even if you do manage to find the short grass off the box, the approach to the green is a long with a large water hazard short and right of the green and a few bunkers to swallow up wayward approaches. Going long with your approach on the 9th hole will leave you out of bounds. The degree of difficulty on this hole is extremely high and walking away with a par would be considered a huge success. Bogey would not be an unwanted score from all golfers of all handicaps.
Back 9:
15th Hole
The par 5 fifteenth hole is neither a long par 5, nor a very daunting one, but it is a very pretty looking hole with a lot on offer for golfers of all handicaps. The tee shot would require even the medium hitters to club down from driver. Finding the fairway will leave you a long iron approach into an inviting green. Despite the water short and to the left, as you stand over your ball for your second, the green slopes from back to front allowing an aggressive approach. Choosing to lay up will also leave you with a simple pitch and a good shot at birdie. The degree of difficulty on the 15th is low and birdie is in reach of most golfers who can avoid a swim.