Houghton received a rare honour in February 1995, when it was chosen to host the inaugural Alfred Dunhill Challenge between southern Africa and Australia, the southern hemisphere's answer to the Ryder Cup. At 6 434 metres, Houghton is not an overly long course by highveld standards, as the ball flies a long way in Johannesburg's rarefied atmosphere. But short does not always translate into easy, and some exciting tee shots and approaches are required if you are attempting to master the holes. The predominant grass is Kikuyu, which when closely mown provides a truly magnificent surface from which to play. Houghton is renowned for its conditioning a wealth of wonderful par-four holes.