The Links has been hailed as one of the best champion links golf courses in the world - and also one of the toughest. It is here on this demanding layout that 24 of the world's top golfers will pit their skills in a titanic battle for laurels in The Presidents Cup 2003.
Says Gary Player, architect of this magnificent course: "All the players are familiar with links golf courses, but here they'll face something that they are not accustomed to - they'll be playing the toughest course that they will play in their lives."
The Links resembles a typical Scottish Links, and the players will find themselves among high grasses on high sandy mounds, with the traversing fairways undulating past wetland lakes and awaiting pot bunkers. Large, medium and small greens will offer a variety of tests, while anything stronger than a mild breeze will succeed in fulfilling the semblance of that Scottish aura.
Apart from the on-course challenge, visitors and millions of television viewers will experience the visual beauty of this course, destined to become Fancourt's most famous international landmark.
It is also one of the most remarkable golf courses. Not only was a whole new landscape recreated, but a whole new eco-system has come into being with the creation of rolling grass-planted dunes and wetlands where a profusion of bird life, Egyptian Geese and Kingfishers abound.
As Jack Nicklaus said after a visit: "It's totally artificial, but it is not at all contrived. In fact, it looks as if it's always been here. I could swear I was in Scotland at times, even the holes themselves are like those in Scotland."

According to Player, The Links has been designed to make golfers feel as though they were at Ireland's Ballybunion or Lahinch, and even Scotland's legendary St Andrews. Rolling fairways, pot bunkers, big greens, severe rough and a dunescape appearance complete the illusion.
"Watch and study how the wind blows off an ocean, carves and sculpts the sand dunes. Then build a golf course to wend its way through these elements." That was Player's brief and the challenge that faced his design team and builders. Also, the timeline. The course had to measure up to the highest international standards and be rated as one of the world's top courses within five years.
They had nothing to work from but a flat and featureless piece of land. To shape it into a champion course took a masterstroke of planning.
Some 700 000m³ of earth, equating to thousands of tons, was moved to create a dune land environment, and 10km of sub-surface piping was installed to ensure adequate drainage.
The choice of grass mix for the tees, fairway and primary rough was selected to provide the best resistance to disease, traffic and drought while the grasses in the dune areas are a mix of indigenous tufted varieties with a predominant 'weeping-type' look. Wetlands were created, not only for their beauty, but to help with the drainage.
The Links is not a course for the faint hearted, but Player has been merciful to the amateur with a layout that "follows an ebb and flow" type challenge to the golfer. On most holes, he has allowed enough fairway width for golfers to feel the course is achievable rather than impossible. A few very demanding holes are often followed by a more forgiving hole.
But don't let it lull you. The No 12 hole is The Links' equivalent to the infamous 17th at St Andrew's - The Road Hole, a par 'four-and-a-half'. Although the fairway is quite generous, the approach shot is the key on this hole. Length is required from the tee shot and extreme accuracy with the second. A ball to the left of the green will end up in the wetland. Your best bet is to play to the right of the green, from where a pitch and a putt may offer par. If you're lucky!
Jackie Joubert

Park and Ride

No pedestrian access will be allowed to The Links during Presidents Cup Week. All spectators' tickets include the cost of parking at the various park and ride areas from where spectators will be shuttled to the golf course. Spectators should start arriving at least two hours before the scheduled start of each day's programme.
Parking will be at the PW Botha Technical High School with access from both Union and Lang Streets. General Public Ticket Holders can use either the Lang Street or Union Street entrance while spectators with Championship Club Tickets should only use the Lang Street entrance.

Special Needs Parking
Special Needs Parking (at the Kretzenhoop Primary School in George Street, Blanco) as well as a dedicated Special Needs Shuttle (running on a demand basis) has been provided to ensure easy parking and access for the physically disabled.

Tickets for day trippers

Good news for golfing fans. If you can't make it for the whole week, The Presidents Cup organisers have converted a limited number of season passes into daily tickets.
The cost of daily tickets will be R150 for the practice rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday, 18 and 19 November, R400 for Thursday and Friday, 20 and 21 November, and R500 for the Saturday and Sunday, 22 and 23 November.
"We are thrilled that the excitement surrounding the event has necessitated the conversion of a limited number of season passes into daily tickets," says the Executive Director, Dennis Alpert. "This will allow fans who are not able to attend for the whole week the opportunity to come and see the world's greatest golfers in action."
Tickets for the practice rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday will be available on site only, while those for Thursday to Sunday can be purchased via The Presidents Cup Call Centre.
Season tickets for the Presidents Cup cost R1 500. The ticket entitles you entry for each day of the tournament, from 18 to 23 November, and includes parking and the shuttle service to the course.

Where it all started

Since its inauguration in 1994 the Presidents Cup has featured a generation of stars, including Ernie Els, Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, Greg Norman and Nick Price, who have taken golf around the world in a tournament that showcases the game on a global scale.
The Presidents Cup is an event where competitive drive is matched only by the spirit of goodwill. No prize money is awarded to the teams. The net revenues are divided equally among players and captains to distribute to charities of their choice. The first four tournaments have generated nearly US$ 8 million for charities worldwide.
South Africa was a unanimous choice to host The Presidents Cup 2003. Apart from an unrivalled range of world-class courses, South Africa boasts a playing tradition, which - from Bobby Locke through to Ernie Els - has produced some of the biggest legends in the sport.
With the US and International teams having split the previous two competitions, the stage is set for an awesome contest in 2003. The honour and pride of the best golfers in the world is on the line.
As past Honorary Chairman, President George H. W. Bush, said: "If you love golf, this is heaven."

Presidents Cup
Programme
18-23 November

18-19
Practice Rounds

20
Opening Ceremonies
Foursomes

21
Four-ball

22
Four-ball

23
Singles
Closing Ceremonies