| Welcome back to a brand-new year at Stellenbosch Golf Club, and here’s wishing everyone a happy, healthy and successful 2026 filled with many great rounds of golf. As always, remember that every great shot starts with a smile. The excitement is really building as we move ever closer to hosting the 115th Investec SA Open — an honour of the highest order and a proud moment for our club. There is nothing quite like welcoming the National Open, and I’m sure you’re all as eager as we are to see how the players take on our course. The big question is… what will the winning score be? |
| Where to play during the course closure… |
| Final preparations for the Investec SA Open are underway…
As we move into the final phase of preparations for the Investec SA Open, the course will be closed from Monday, 16 February to Monday, 1 March. This period is critical to ensure the course is presented at championship standard for this prestigious event.
We are hopeful that we’ll be able to secure a few tee times on Monday, 1 March to experience the course in its final tournament condition — more details on that to follow. In addition, the tournament setup will remain in place for the Tuesday and Wednesday following the event, during which we’ll host special member events, giving you the opportunity to enjoy the course as the professionals did. |
| Playing opportunities during the closure |
| To ensure members can continue playing while our course is closed, reciprocity has been arranged with all courses across the Western Cape. Members are welcome to book directly with any club they wish to play.
In addition, we have arranged specific booking opportunities at the following clubs:
• Wednesday, 18 February
Members Competition at Hazendal
A fantastic course with plenty of hole-in-one opportunities — and promises to be a great day out.
Bookings to be made with Marizan: bookings@stbgolf.com
• Saturday, 21 February
Somerset West & Paarl
Morning and afternoon tee times available.
Bookings via Marizan: bookings@stbgolf.com
• Wednesday, 25 February
Tee times have kindly been made available at:
– Somerset West
– Devonvale
– Kuilsrivier
– Strand
All bookings for competition days via Marizan due to limited space available: bookings@stbgolf.com
Should you require any assistance or further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we prepare to host the Investec SA Open — we’re looking forward to showcasing the course at its very best and welcoming you back to experience it afterwards. |
| Suzuki Stellenbosch Challenge – Round 5 Update |
| Round 5 of the Suzuki Stellenbosch Challenge once again delivered great golf and a fantastic atmosphere, with participation and support for the event continuing to be very strong. A sincere thank you goes to Stellenbosch Suzuki for their ongoing and valued support. It plays a huge role in the success of this popular series, with some amazing meat prizes in each round up for grabs!
Congratulations to the brother combination of Christiaan and Adriaan Laubscher, who claimed the honours on the day and have now opened up a six-point lead on the overall leaderboard. With several teams still firmly in contention, the race remains wide open as we head towards the final round in July. |
| All smiles for our winners – Christiaan & Adriaan Laubscher |
| Suzuki Cup Order of Merit |
|
Player 1 |
Player 2 |
Pts |
| 1. |
Adriaan Laubscher |
Christiaan Laubscher |
212 |
| 2. |
Wilbur Robberts |
Chris Bekker |
206 |
| 3. |
Mossie Mostert |
Niewoudt Heerschap |
202 |
| 4. |
Willem Castelyn |
David Rossouw |
198 |
| 5. |
Pierre Henning |
Louis Koch |
191 |
| 6. |
Mauritz Alberts |
Gerrie Jonas |
190 |
| 7. |
Gerhard Beukes |
Kobus van Schalkwyk |
189 |
| 8. |
Willem Malherbe |
Leonie Malherbe |
185 |
| 9. |
Philip Robinson |
Dayle Richards |
177 |
| 10. |
Francois de Vries |
Clive Wagner |
170 |
| 11. |
Gerhard Bester |
Herman Stemmet |
163 |
| 12. |
Pieter Coetzee |
Johan Bredell |
162 |
| 13. |
Bles Kemp |
Riaan Swanepoel |
127 |
| 14. |
Arne Cedervall |
Louis Swanepoel |
123 |
| 15. |
Tian van der Merwe |
Kobus van der Merwe |
122 |
| 16. |
Johan Strydom |
Hannes Koegelenberg |
121 |
| 17. |
Joseph Huskisson |
Martin Kift |
121 |
| 18. |
Sandra Hitchcock |
John Hitchcock |
118 |
| 19. |
Riaan Gerber |
Johan de Villiers |
113 |
| 20. |
Hein Botha |
Dewald Botha |
111 |
| Hole-in-one congratulations! |
| A huge congratulations to our President, Peter Hill, on his hole-in-one on Saturday, and what a way to finish the day! Playing the 9th hole as his final hole, Peter produced the perfect “lucky” shot to card a one, instantly lighting up his face with a smile that didn’t fade all day. A beautifully struck 4-rescue into a stiff breeze, on a very uphill 135-metre hole (and yes… very uphill!). They say luck comes in threes, and this was indeed number three for our President. |
| Hole-in-one alert! (Interesting the putter in hand) |
| Reflections from the PGA Show in Orlando |
| My trip to the PGA Show in Orlando was truly inspiring — an amazing showcase of just how healthy and dynamic the golf industry is right now. More than 30 000 industry professionals from around the globe gathered in Florida to explore the latest innovations across equipment, apparel and technology, to connect with peers, and to share in the passion that drives our sport forward. It’s fascinating to see how technology has become the new buzzword in golf, with cutting-edge tools, simulators and performance platforms being introduced into what is still such a wonderfully traditional game. With global participation on the rise, including an estimated 108 million people playing golf worldwide and 44 million under the age of 18, the future of our game continues to look bright and full of opportunity. Here’s to carrying that energy into a fantastic 2026 both on and off the course! |
Have a wonderful week and keep it down the middle,
Louis |
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