Simola at Simola Golf and Country Estate

Simola Golf and Country Estate sits on elevated terrain above the coastal town of Knysna along South Africa's Garden Route. Designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 2004, the course occupies a hillside site that offers views over the Knysna Lagoon and the Outeniqua Mountains. The property's natural topography creates significant elevation changes throughout the routing, with several holes playing sharply uphill or downhill and others traversing sloped fairways that demand careful club selection and course management.

The layout measures over 6,700 yards from the championship tees and incorporates the region's indigenous fynbos vegetation and stands of indigenous forest. Water features prominently on several holes, and the design includes substantial bunkering characteristic of Nicklaus's work. The course's most distinctive stretch comes on the back nine, where holes play along ridgelines and through valleys with pronounced elevation shifts. The par-three 7th hole, known as "Signature," plays downhill across a ravine and has become one of the most photographed holes in South Africa.

Simola has hosted professional events on the Sunshine Tour, including the annual Simola Open, which brings competitive golf to the Garden Route region. The estate operates as a residential golf community with a clubhouse that serves members and visiting golfers. The course attracts both local players and international visitors traveling the Garden Route, offering a championship-length test in a setting that combines mountain and coastal landscapes.