Intrigue: Millvale Golf Estate is a rare blend of sport, business and mystique. It is deliberately elusive. comfort.
Photo: Google Maps
There are private golf clubs… and then there’s the Millvale Golf Estate.
The elusive 18-hole course, set within a 5 000-hectare game farm, is unlike anything else in South Africa.
It’s home to the country’s only floating tee, and so secretive that it has no official website, no public contact details and certainly no membership forms. Here, entry is by invitation only — and that invitation doesn’t come easily.
If you’re lucky enough to be invited, you will find Millvale Golf Estate tucked away near Koster in the North West province, not far from Rustenburg, along Millvale Road. Even its location adds to the sense of mystery; this is not the kind of place you stumble across on a Sunday drive.
The estate’s story is as fascinating as its reputation. Known initially as Morningside Farm Golf Club, the property was owned by British arms dealer Richard Charter, who died under mysterious circumstances in a boating accident on the Orange River.
After his death, the estate was eventually purchased. Today, Investec holds a 60% stake, and businessman Nathan “Natie” Kirsh owns the remaining 40%.
The acquisition allegedly took place around the time of the 2008 global financial crisis, an unusual moment to invest heavily, but perhaps exactly the kind of bold move you’d expect from a billionaire and a bank.
Kirsh is a self-made billionaire whose story begins in Potchefstroom, where he was born on 6 January 1932. His career took him from South Africa to the United States, where he built an empire in wholesale distribution.
In 1976, Kirsh founded Jetro, a cash-and-carry store in Brooklyn, New York. Eighteen years later, he acquired Restaurant Depot, a wholesale supplier to the food service industry and in 1995, opened its first retail outlet in New York.
Today, Kirsh is one of the wealthiest South Africans, with business interests spanning property, food distribution, and investment.
Despite his global profile, he keeps a low public profile, much like Millvale itself.
Gary Player designed the golf course. Known as the “Black Knight”, Player is one of the most successful golfers in history, with 165 professional victories worldwide, including nine major championships. But his impact on the golfing scene extends far beyond his playing record.
Player’s design philosophy has shaped more than 400 golf courses across five continents. His projects are renowned for blending natural beauty with strategic challenge, often incorporating environmental sensitivity long before sustainability became a buzzword.
At Millvale, Player’s touch is evident. The course began as a custom-designed nine-hole layout created for Charter. Later, golf course designer Tyrone Yates added a further nine holes, making the full 18.
The result is a course that’s as visually stunning as it is technically demanding, set against the untamed backdrop of the African bushveld.
I’ve tweeted about this real estate asset before, and any of my followers who have had the privilege of playing there have commented in agreement that the experience on the greens is nothing short of majestic.
And then, of course, there’s the floating tee, a feature that’s both a novelty and a serious test of precision. It’s one of those rare golfing experiences that even seasoned professionals can’t tick off their list unless they know the right people.
For those few who receive the golden invitation, the experience goes far beyond a round of golf. The estate offers 3 000m2 of luxury accommodation, with 27 rooms designed to host players and their guests in comfort. There’s also a private landing strip.
Off the course, guests can enjoy padel courts, mountain biking trails and a wine cellar stocked with some of the most prestigious vintages imaginable.
The estate employs more than 100 staff members to maintain its immaculate grounds and ensure that every detail — from course conditions to guest services — is flawless.
It’s a lifestyle of seclusion and exclusivity, a place where the outside world fades away and every element is carefully curated.
In an age where many “exclusive” clubs will quietly accept new members for the right price, Millvale stands apart. This isn’t a club you can apply to join, no matter how deep your pockets. It exists for the enjoyment of its owners and their invited guests — nothing more, nothing less.
That makes it one of the most inaccessible golfing experiences in the world, on par with courses like Augusta National in the US, but with the added intrigue of its remote African setting.
Millvale Golf Estate is a rare blend of sport, business and mystique. It is deliberately elusive. But from a hard-nosed property perspective, it is difficult to see how an asset like this makes commercial sense today.
Unlike conventional golf estates, Millvale does not sell stands, collect annual memberships, host tournaments or generate meaningful visitor revenue. There is no obvious income stream beyond occasional private use, while the cost base is immense.
Thousands of hectares to maintain, an 18-hole championship course, luxury accommodation, wildlife management, aviation infrastructure and a staff complement exceeding 100 people. This is not a low-overhead operation by any stretch.
If this were pitched to a committee as an investment, the numbers would make for uncomfortable reading. High operating costs, limited revenue, no liquidity and an exit strategy that depends on finding another buyer with the same appetite for privacy rather than profit. By most traditional property metrics, it looks less like an asset and more like a beautifully curated liability.
Which raises the more interesting point. Perhaps Millvale was never meant to make money at all. Its real return may lie elsewhere, in discretion, legacy, relationships, branding and the rare luxury of control over space and experience to nurture business partnerships and strong customer relationships.
In that sense, it is not a golf course trying to justify itself financially, but rather a curated branding experience.
Have you played at Millvale? If so, you are part of a scarce group. I would love to hear about your experience, the course, the floating tee, the wildlife and the atmosphere. Email me: [email protected]