It was a dark and stormy weekend. Thank goodness! Otherwise I would have had to embarrass myself on one of SA's top golf courses.
But due to the weather I could focus my energy on what I do best, relaxing.
So what do you do on a golf estate when you can’t play golf? At Pearl Valley Golf Estate, as much or as little as you want.
Only a 40-minute drive from Cape Town and much less from the airport, Pearl Valley is situated between Paarl and Franschhoek. We stayed in one of Pearl Valley’s luxurious self-catering lodges, which turned out to be a real home away from home, that is if your home is normally a four-bedroom all en suite luxury triple-storey lodge.
Our lodge had a gorgeous, fully equipped kitchen, a washing machine and tumble dryer, a braai on the patio, a fireplace, spa bath, flat screen TV, large, comfortable beds and plenty of space.
Needless to say much time was spent in front of the fireplace watching the rain fall or in the spa bath listening to the rain fall. Added bonus - underfloor heating in the bathroom and heated towel rails!
Just one small complaint - we came with no supplies so some complimentary tea and coffee would have been much appreciated, especially after the absolute joy of waking up to the sounds of birds and a stunning view of the man-made lake.
My family and I were seriously considering selling up back home and making our holiday more permanent.
And you could actually do this - either as a long-term rental of the lodges or buying or renting one the jaw-dropping homes located on the estate.
A tour of the 212ha estate revealed some beautiful homes fit for the rich and famous. Apparently one of the homes on the estate - a five -bedroom with views over the 18th and lake recently sold for R15-million.
One thing that struck me about these homes is that although the estate does have rules governing the aesthetics of the homes, they are not homogenous, but as different as any normal neighbourhood. And the views!
After our tour in the pouring rain, we were dropped off at the clubhouse, which soon became our second favourite place at Pearl Valley. Overlooking the ninth and 18th hole, we had found another cosy place to park off and watch the storm outside. Because we had brought no food with us and did not want to leave the estate, even for a few minutes, we had breakfast, lunch and supper at the the clubhouse’s restaurant.
The Valley has two huge fireplaces which we always managed to sit close enough to appreciate. While the menu is pretty standard - steak, burgers, calamari, chicken nuggets, sandwiches and salads - and quite limited if you are staying for a while, the steak we ordered for supper was cooked perfectly and my lunch time calamari was tender and very tasty. The wine list also lived up to the reputation of the area. While the staff were friendly and efficient.
But back to the main reason you will want to go to Pearl Valley - it's award -winning golf course.
According to the marketing material, Pearl Valley has been named as one of only 25 golf courses in South Africa to receive a 5 - star experience award at the Complete Golfer's annual awards dinner, the fourth consecutive year it has received the award. The Jack Nicklaus-designed course has also been voted 3rd best golf course in 2011 by Golf Digest - a major feat in the saturated golfing world of SA.
Upon hearing I was at Pearl Valley,a Joburg-based friend sent me a message gushing about “the well-manicured course” and said he always made a point of playing a round there when he was in the Cape.
He also said the surrounding Drakenstein Mountains provided protection from the Cape’s notorious winds.
And while the golf regulars hung out at the clubhouse waiting for a break in the weather to get out on the green or at least the driving range , we witnessed staff greeting them like old friends and stopping for a chat.
The Pro Shop staff also handled all queries with professionalism and respect.
While it was quiet because of the weather, Pearl Valley must be buzzing in summer. The pool area with a water slide is sure to be a hit with kids, while the outside deck would be a great place for parents to enjoy a drink or three. Pearl Valley also offers horseriding, a gym or you can play tennis on the estate’s courts.
Last but not least, no relaxing 5-star weekend would be complete without a spa treatment. And of course Pearl Valley has its own Breathe Spa that offers everything from hair treatments to a unique hot golf ball massage.
My hour-long massage left me feeling utterly and completely unwound and I slid jelly-like into my car for the short drive back to Cape Town ... and reality. - IOL