Mabalingwe Country Club, the vision of well-known local golfing enthusiasts Dale Hayes, Steve Dunn and Peter Matkovich, has exceeded all expectations since it was officially launched two years ago. Situated just an hour-and-a-half’s drive north of Pretoria in the shadow of the Waterberg mountain range, the country club (which borders the Mabalingwe Game Reserve) has blossomed into the ultimate bushveld golfing experience. The layout itself has been built to USGA specifications, features the perfect turf combination of kikuyu fairways and bent grass greens, and was designed by Matkovich, whose résumé includes more than 20 courses across South Africa. And while it is a golf estate, the experience of playing golf there won’t be interfered with by the properties – of the more than 150 houses that will be built, none will be within 50 metres of the fairway. Playing golf, however, won’t be the only thing on your mind at Mabalingwe. Not only can you view the ‘Big Five’ at the adjoining Mabalingwe Game Reserve, but the 1 200- hectare property of the country club features more than 450 animal species, including giraffe, zebra, blue wildebeest and a host of buck, which roam freely on the estate. Add to this the opportunities for hiking, fishing, horseback riding, clay-target shooting, quad-biking or just relaxing in the luxury of one of the estate’s 20 bushveld lodges, and it is no wonder this is the only five-star graded country club and game reserve in South Africa!