Badplaas Golf Course

Badplaas sits in the escarpment country of Mpumalanga, a province that most golfers associate with the grand highland courses around White River and Nelspruit, or the bushveld layouts further east toward the Kruger corridor. This modest 9-hole track serves a very different purpose: it's attached to the African Sun resort and spa complex, a destination built around the region's natural hot springs. The course is largely a leisure amenity for guests who've come to unwind, and it plays that role without pretension.

The surrounding landscape is characteristically lowveld-transitional — warm, scrubby, and open — and the course reflects its setting rather than trying to compete with more manicured neighbors. Expect a relaxed, unhurried round where the point is enjoyment in the fresh Mpumalanga air rather than a serious test of your game.

For traveling golfers, Badplaas works best as a gentle warm-up or cool-down alongside a spa stay. More demanding tracks in the province are within reasonable driving distance if the itch for a real challenge sets in.