Fancourt, the world-renowned five-star hotel situated in the stunningly magnificent Garden Route in the Western Cape, South Africa has been awarded the Editor’s Choice Award for Best International Golf Resort 2018 by Golf Digest. The Golf Digest Editor’s Choice Awards which were originally launched in 2016, recognised the iconic year-round resort for its superior service and luxurious features in its third year running.
Golf Digest – which has more than 1.6m subscribers in the US alone – features a select group of leading names from the global golf industry. The Golf Digest Editor’s Choice Awards represents the best products, services and properties in golf. The awards receive similar editorial treatment as the magazine’s annual Hot List, which has become the game’s authoritative review for all things golf.
“We are delighted to receive such complementary recognition,” said Peter Dros, Sales and Marketing Director of Fancourt. “This is totally in keeping with our objective to be a leader in South Africa’s hospitality industry, not only in terms of golf but by offering the best lifestyle experience to everyone who stays on the Estate’, he concluded.
Fancourt is thrilled to announce that their Links course, a privately-owned club, has once again been ranked FIRST in the Golf Digest ranking of South African golf courses for 2018.
No stranger to this prestigious accolade, the course was awarded this title in 2011, 2014, 2016 and now once again in the 2018 rankings.
Whilst competing against many other highly reputable golf courses to receive this recognition, most notably is that the Estate’s other two golf courses have also been named in the 2018 rankings. Whilst the Outeniqua course has moved from 16th to 14th position, Montagu on the other hand was rated No 8. This brings all 3 courses into the Top 15.
The Golf Digest rankings are a long established and reputable award, offering recognition of a certain standard that golfers can depend on. The bi-annual evaluation of all countrywide 18-hole courses is based on course evaluations by volunteer panel members from across South Africa. Courses are scored on seven criteria: Shot Values; Playability; Resistance to Scoring; Aesthetics; Design Variety; and Memorability – with each course achieving a total score out of 100.
With this announcement comes recognition, of The Links being ranked as South Africa’s top course on three consecutive occasions, over a period of 5 years, by Golf Digest. It is also the only course in Africa that is certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, a USA-based standard, because of its commitment to the protection of the environment and preservation of golf’s heritage. In keeping with its Scottish inspiration, players are quite in awe of this magnificent course, as designer Gary Player considered everything typical of its origins.
Ryan Reid, Director of Sports & Recreation at Fancourt commented, ‘It is incredible to receive these fantastic accolades once again. It serves as testimony to the commitment of the Fancourt team and our goal to maintain the absolute best standard in the country. The rankings not only reflect the well thought out designs of the three courses but also our team of extremely hardworking greenkeepers whose desire it is to retain this recognition. They deserve the kudos just as much!’
Fancourt boasts several international titles having recently been awarded Africa’s Best Golf Hotel 2017 by the World Golf Awards, as well as honoured Golf Resort of the Year (in the category ‘Rest of The World’) at the prestigious 18th annual International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) Awards held in Cannes last year, meaning visitors can expect a very high standard both on and off the courses.
ENDS