Located in the greater metropolitan area of Tshwane, the course was originally unveiled under the name ‘Gardener Ross’ but a few years after it debuted, Investec Property took over and rebranded the layout, creating the first Els Club in the country and (after Dubai) the second one in the world.

The course and the residential element of the property actually sit on land where the Big Easy’s grandfather, Ernie Vermaak, grew up on a farm known as Knoppies Laagte so it seems only right that South Africa’s greatest player of the modern era should be able to stake some sort of territorial claim here.

Laid out in a figure of eight, the holes at the Els Club wind their way round substantial pockets of housing and although playing corridors are wide and residences are set well back from the lines of play, there’s still no denying a certain element of outside intrusion, particularly on the back nine where homes flank both sides of the fairway at many of the holes.

Being close to the N14 highway means its residents can easily commute to divergent areas of Gauteng. It is 20 minutes from Lanseria Airport.

It is the only Els Club in South Africa, where the promise is of a “supreme golfing and leisure experience reflecting Ernie’s personal tastes, a stylish place for the whole family to relax and unwind.”

Built on grassland plains, the Copperleaf layout conveys a sense of wide open space, where the length of holes and distinctive Els bunkering is the main challenge. It is regarded as one of Gauteng’s championship layouts, and hosted two European Tour events, the Tshwane Open, in 2013 and 2014.

At the time it was the longest course in European Tour history, playing to a maximum length of 7,680 metres (8,399 yards), although it was reduced to 7,360 metres in 2013 and 7,281 in 2014. However, the extreme length did not intimidate the pros, who adored the flawless greens. Dawie van der Walt won in 2013 with a 21-under total of 267, and Ross Fisher in 2014 with 20-under 268.

Notwithstanding the long holes, Els has designed a members course with wide fairways which golfers of all levels can enjoy from multiple teeing areas, particularly those who drive the ball well. And it’s not all about outsized holes. There are three short risk-reward par 4s on which to get adventurous. Challenges lie in strategically placed bunkers, water hazards and superbly designed greens.

DID YOU KNOW

• Course record: 62 by Brandon Stone in 2009; Jean Hugo, 2010 Vodacom Origins of Golf
• Louis Albertse shot 27 on the back nine in a 2018 IGT Tour event. He had seven birdies and an eagle at 15 in a round of 64
• The third is the longest par-three in South Africa, 254 metres from the back, and that is followed by a 636 metre par-five