Golf is open to all
Africa Amateur Championship
Royal Johannesburg in focus: An historic stage for Africa’s amateur stars
28 Jan 26
3 mins
When the first tee shots are hit at the Africa Amateur Championship and the Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational, the players will be competing for life-changing opportunities.
Along with silverware and the prestige of winning a top amateur prize, a place in The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale beckons for the men’s winner and an AIG Women's Open Final Qualifying spot is the reward for the women’s champion.
To provide a platform for the next generation of stars, the Championship has headed to a venue that has helped shape the history of the game in South Africa: the East Course at Royal Johannesburg Golf Club.
The Jewel in the Crown
Located a short drive from the centre of Johannesburg, the club is renowned in the region. It has a pedigree that few clubs can match, having been granted its "Royal" title by King George V in 1931.
Players will be competing for the Africa Amateur Championship and Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational trophies.
While the club was founded in 1891 it was the opening of the East Course in 1939 that turned it into a premier championship site. Designed by Robert Grimsdell, the layout was built to test the very best. Since then, it has hosted the South African Open ten times and was the long-term home of the Joburg Open.
The fairways here have been a proving ground for legends. Champion Golfers such as Gary Player, Bobby Locke, Ernie Els and Louis Oosthuizen have all competed at Royal Johannesburg, while the venue has also hosted Open qualifying over the years.
A firm but fair challenge
The par-72 course, which stretches more than 7,600 yards, requires great precision, with narrow, tree-lined fairways and fast, sloping greens which can see small mistakes punished. The most famous stretch of the course comes at the start of the back nine. The 10th and 11th holes are huge back-to-back par fours and surviving these two holes without dropping shots can be a major key to success.
Royal Johannesburg's renowned East Course will host the 2026 Africa Amateur Championship and Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational.
When announcing the venue, Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Executive Director - Championships at The R&A, said, “Royal Johannesburg is a prestigious venue for championship golf and its staging of the Africa Amateur Championship and Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational signals our continuing commitment to having the most talented amateur golfers compete against each other on world-class platforms.
“The East Course will present a tough but fair challenge for Africa’s best amateur players and the winners of both events will truly have earned the honour of lifting the men’s and women’s trophies and the life-changing exemptions that are awarded to the champions.”