The Palace of the Lost City in Sun City, South Africa.
Mitchell Krog
The world may be getting smaller, but its collection of top-shelf golf resorts remains vast. From the American Heartland and the shimmering coasts of the Caribbean to the peaks of Europe and the majesty of Asia and the South Pacific, virtually every region on the planet is home to a sampling of the game’s finest stay-and-play experiences. To learn about the best golf resorts in the Middle East and Africa, keep reading below.
To browse GOLF’s complete 2024-25 list of the Top 100 Golf Resorts in the World, click here.
On the southern tip of South Africa, just down the coast from Cape Town, sits Arabella Hotel, Golf & Spa, a truly luxurious getaway for couples, families, weddings or even your next work conference. Golfers will love Arabella Golf Course, which might briefly trick you into thinking you’re playing something like Pebble Beach with its white-sand bunkers and water-lined holes that play alongside Bot River Lagoon. The resort is massive enough to host several weddings, conferences or other functions at once, but it’s also well known for all the offerings you’ll find at the spa, which is overflowing with top-of-the-line relaxing packages for women, men and couples. Oh, and if you want something faster paced for a day trip, Cape Town is just an hour and a half away. [LEARN MORE HERE]
Fancourt’s a family-friendly resort, but the golf is so good here we feel compelled to talk about that first. The three 18-holes courses were all designed by South African Gary Player, and while the Outeniqua and Montagu courses are no slouches, The Links is Fancourt’s crown jewel. The course, which opened in 2000, was designed by Player to bring a piece of Irish or Scottish links golf to the southern tip of South Africa, and he didn’t disappoint. Often considered one of the best golf courses in the country, it also famously hosted the 2003 Presidents Cup, where the teams led by Jack Nicklaus and Player battled to a tie. But at Fancourt, the accommodations are far from an afterthought. It boasts two sizable pools, three exquisite restaurants, more than 100 luxurious rooms, a spa and a ton of family-friend activities like an in-house cinema, biking trails, fishing and more. [LEARN MORE HERE]
If you want to get away. Like, really get away. The Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita is your spot. Turquoise water. A private beach. Breathtaking views. What more could you want? The accommodations are just as good as the setting, too. You won’t find hundreds of standard hotel rooms here, just 14 luxurious spots for you to call home on one epic vacation. There’s five villas, two royal island sanctuaries and seven private retreats — with all of them boasting their own private garden and pool. Besides simply hanging out in paradise, there’s also a spa, two golf courses — Anahita Golf Club and Ile aux Cerfs Golf Club — designed by two golf legends and loads of land and sea experiences to indulge in. That is when you aren’t indulging in the mouthwatering culinary offerings. [LEARN MORE HERE]
The Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita in Beau Champ, Mauritius.Courtesy
You can live the suite life at Heritage Le Telfair, where all the accommodation on offer is a suite, and the only thing you have to decide is what kind of view you’d like to enjoy: garden, beachfront or seaview. Two stunning golf courses await: the first, the established Le Chateau, featuring gentle foothills, generous fairways, and stunning views of the Indian Ocean, and the second, La Reserve, which was co-designed by Louis Oosthuizen and will celebrate its grand opening in December. Both courses have the distinction of hosting the DP World Tour’s Mauritius Open, with La Reserve making its host debut this year. Post-round, hungry resort guests can choose from an array of delectable choices, from the beachfront Le Palmier to the elegant Annabella’s. Non-golf activities abound on both land and sea, from boat excursions and snorkeling to exploring the awe-inspiring Bel Ombre Nature Reserve by vehicle or foot. Need to work out some aches and pains? The resort’s Seven Colours Spa is 2,000 square meters or pure tranquility, with a full menu of professional treatments as well as a hydrotherapy pool, bubble bath, and outdoor showers. [LEARN MORE HERE]
If all you know of Morocco is what you’ve seen in recent flicks — Ethan Hunt’s vehicular assault on the markets of Marrakesh in Mission: Impossible 5 or Indy Jones’s careening tuk-tuk chase through the streets of Tangier in Dial of Destiny — you’ve been missing out on dreamy North African bliss. Cozied up to the Atlantic Ocean and set, jewel-like, on a remote, 60-acre parcel of forest, the Hilton Tangier Al Houara wants to put you into a trance and keep you there. It does that with its airy, open architecture (think vaulted ceilings and archways), spacious rooms, serene green spaces and Xanadu-worthy, palm-lined pool. As of September 2022, it also does it with golf: two tracks, an 18-holer and an illuminated 9-hole short course, courtesy of Vijay Singh and design partner Graham Marsh. Tipping out at 7550 yards and spread across 270 acres, the main course is primarily inland, open and flat enough to afford views of the ocean — when you’re not otherwise occupied by Singh and Marsh’s water hazards. It was once said that only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss. Did he tee it up at Al Houara? [LEARN MORE HERE]
A legendary destination designed by dreamers for luxury-seekers. Since inception in 1992, The Palace of the Lost City has enthralled visitors from all over the globe. Its unique setting in South Africa, on an extinct volcanic site among the Pilanesberg mountains, is matched by the inspired architecture and passionate attention to detail for which The Palace of the Lost City is renowned. [LEARN MORE HERE]
Fans of the DP World Tour will know the resort’s 27-hole golf course — Abu Dhabi Golf Club — from its decade-long run (through 2021) as host site of the HSBC Golf Championship, which has a winner’s roll that includes the likes of Rickie Fowler, Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood. The course is also known for its inimitable clubhouse, which resembles a falcon with outstretched wings. The resort itself also has a winning reputation, with 172 rooms that all offer golf-course views; six restaurants; and the Heavenly Spa, which allows guests to “immerse themselves in a unique world of physical and mental renewal.” Two pools will help you escape the desert heat. While the resort will cater to all your needs, one of its other appeals is its location — just 15 minutes from the heart of Abu Dhabi and 10 minutes from the primary airport. If you’re looking to get off campus, nearby attractions include biking trails, city tours and desert safaris. [LEARN MORE HERE]
