Simola



In Knysna, a town that's mad-keen on golf, you can feel the growing excitement and the keen anticipation. It's the one topic on everyone's lips: "Did you hear? Simola's open for play!" The Golden Bear's 18-hole championship course at Simola has been created to challenge the professional and inspire the amateur.
	"When I first started, I only knew how to do one thing, and that was to put a golf course on a piece of ground that only a good player could play ... "Easy courses are fun occasionally, but I don't think they stand the 'test of time' to be considered great courses… However, when I start to design a golf course, I don't intentionally try to make it as tough as I can. I simply aim to create a golf course that will be a demanding test of skill for the accomplished golfer playing from the back tees. But, at the same time, I want to offer a challenging, yet enjoyable experience for the average or beginner player who lays from the appropriate tees and thinks his or her way around the golf course." - Jack Nicklaus (as quoted in Unique Homes Magazine)
"As I walk the site, my top priority is finding features such as native trees, grade variations or natural wetlands that can enhance shot values or scenically frame holes. I let the environmental surroundings shape the holes, so they fit the terrain. I never try to force an idea onto a piece of land." - Jack Nicklaus The Golden Bear's 18-hole championship course at Simola has been created to challenge the professional and inspire the amateur.

Construction of the new hotel and clubhouse commenced at the beginning of...