
Montagu Course
Fancourt Hotel & Country Club

About this course
The Montagu course at Fancourt represents an unusual collaboration between Gary Player and David McLay Kidd, who redesigned Player's original layout in the early 2000s. Located in George along South Africa's Garden Route, the course occupies terrain that differs markedly from Fancourt's other championship layouts, sitting on higher ground with more pronounced elevation changes and natural fynbos vegetation characteristic of the Cape region. Kidd's redesign introduced a more rugged, links-inspired aesthetic to what had been a parkland design, incorporating native grasses, exposed sandy areas, and strategic bunkering that rewards creative shot-making. The routing takes advantage of the property's rolling topography, with several holes playing across valleys and ridges that provide views toward the Outeniqua Mountains. The course features wider fairways than traditional links layouts but maintains the ground-game options and firm conditions that define Kidd's design philosophy. Montagu serves as one of four courses at the Fancourt estate, which has hosted multiple South African Opens and other professional events, though these tournaments have primarily been played on the property's Links course. The Montagu layout functions as a resort course accessible to hotel guests and members, offering a different playing experience from Fancourt's more famous championship venues. The design emphasizes playability across skill levels while maintaining strategic interest through its use of natural landforms and hazard placement.
Quick facts
- Location
- George, Western Cape, ZA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1990
- Designer(s)
- Gary Player, David McLay Kidd
- Holes
- 18
- Par
- 72
- Course Vaults score
- 8.6
Getting there
The journey to Fancourt Hotel & Country Club begins at George Airport (GRG), a rare convenience among the world's great golf destinations - the runway lies just ten minutes from the estate gates. International travelers typically connect through Cape Town (CPT), roughly four and a half hours west along the spectacular Garden Route, or Johannesburg (JNB), with the coastal drive offering glimpses of mountain passes and Indian Ocean vistas that build anticipation with every kilometer. The final approach transitions from the N2 highway into the verdant Outeniqua foothills, where Fancourt's grand entrance reveals an estate of uncommon scale and polish, its manicured grounds stretching toward the Outeniqua Mountains in a setting that feels both supremely cultivated and utterly removed from the everyday world.

FAQ
Common questions about Montagu at Fancourt Hotel & Country Club
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Montagu at Fancourt Hotel & Country Club has a Course Vaults score of 8.6 out of 10 based on 6 logged golfers.
Montagu was designed by Gary Player and David McLay Kidd.
Yes. Montagu at Fancourt Hotel & Country Club is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Montagu is 72.
Montagu is a 18-hole course.
