The Lost City Golf Course, Sun City Resort (South Africa)
Set within the extraordinary landscape of Sun City Resort, The Lost City Golf Course is one of Africa’s most iconic and visually dramatic golfing destinations. Designed by legendary golfer Gary Player, this world-renowned championship course delivers a truly unique playing experience, combining technical challenge with unforgettable scenery inspired by the mythical splendour of a lost African kingdom. The Sun City Resort is home to 4 hotels, namely the Cascades Hotel, the Cababas Hotel, the Sun City Hotel and the legendary Palace of the Lost City Resort.
Spectacular desert-style design
What immediately distinguishes The Lost City Golf Course is its spectacular desert-style design. Unlike the lush parkland courses often associated with luxury golf, this course embraces a rugged, untamed aesthetic. Sweeping fairways wind through a dramatic landscape of rocky outcrops, rolling dunes, and indigenous vegetation, creating the feeling of playing in a remote wilderness rather than on a traditional golf course. The contrasting colours of golden grasses, deep green fairways, and striking stone features create a visual masterpiece that changes beautifully throughout the day as the African sun moves across the landscape.
Extraordinary 13th hole: home to the famous Africa-shaped green
One of the course’s most celebrated and memorable features is its extraordinary par-3 13th hole, home to the famous Africa-shaped green. This remarkable green has become one of the most photographed and talked-about holes in world golf. Carefully sculpted in the exact shape of the African continent, it offers both a symbolic and technical challenge, inviting golfers to aim for one of the most unique putting surfaces ever created. The hole is elevated dramatically, providing panoramic views over the surrounding bushveld and making every tee shot feel monumental. For many visitors, simply standing on this tee box is a bucket-list moment.
Live Nile crocodiles inhabit the water hazard beside the green
Adding to the drama and legend of the 13th hole is perhaps the course’s most thrilling feature—live Nile crocodiles inhabiting the water hazard beside the green. More than just a novelty, these formidable reptiles reinforce the wild African character of The Lost City. Watching a crocodile basking in the sun while preparing to play your shot creates an adrenaline rush unlike any other in golf. It is a vivid reminder that this is not just a sporting venue, but an immersive African experience where nature remains an ever-present force.
Championship layout
Beyond its famous signature hole, The Lost City Golf Course challenges players of all levels with its championship layout. Measuring over 7,800 yards from the back tees, it demands strategy, precision, and nerve. Wide fairways may appear forgiving, but strategically placed bunkers, water hazards, and undulating greens ensure every shot requires careful thought. Yet despite its championship pedigree, the course remains immensely enjoyable, rewarding bold play and offering unforgettable moments around every corner.
What makes The Lost City truly exceptional is the atmosphere it creates. There is a sense of theatre here—of adventure, luxury, and wild Africa combined into one unforgettable round. Surrounded by the sounds of birdlife, dramatic mountain backdrops, and the possibility of encountering local wildlife, golfers are transported far beyond the ordinary.
Sun City Resort: an African golfing adventure
The Lost City Golf Course is not simply a round of golf—it is an African golfing adventure, where desert beauty, legendary design, crocodile-filled waters, and an iconic Africa-shaped green come together to create one of the most extraordinary golf experiences on earth.
Sun City Resort:
https://www.south-african-hotels.com/region/sun-city/hotels
Thank you for choosing us as your Golf & Safari accommodation provider. South African Golfing & Safari Tours
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