GolfRSA has unveiled the schedule for the highly anticipated 2026 South African Swing, a month-long celebration of world-class amateur golf that will bring together the country’s leading players and top international contenders at premier venues across Gauteng.
The Swing will be headlined by three flagship events, beginning with the South African Amateur Championship at the prestigious Pretoria Country Club from 25-30 January, followed by the GolfRSA International Amateur Championship and the SA Women’s Stroke Play and Match Play Championships.
Renowned for its rich history and championship pedigree, Pretoria Country Club has previously hosted top-tier events such as the Tshwane Open – co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and European Tour – as well as the Vodacom Championship. It now provides a fitting stage for the country’s premier amateur contest. The SA Amateur opens with the 36-hole Proudfoot Trophy qualifier, after which the top 64 players will advance to the match play stage to contest South Africa’s oldest and most prestigious amateur title.
The third edition of the GolfRSA International Amateur Championship, hosted at the esteemed Houghton Golf Club from 10-13 February, promises to be the most competitive yet, drawing elite men’s and women’s teams from around the globe.
Boasting a storied legacy as one of Johannesburg’s premier championship courses, Houghton has previously staged eight South African Opens, welcomed DP World Tour fields through the Joburg Open, and was the Alfred Dunhill Championship’s original home before that event relocated. The GolfRSA International Amateur Championship will test competitors in a dual format: individual 72-hole stroke play and team contests over the first 54 holes. And, for the first time, GolfRSA is proud to introduce a Mid-Amateur national team, reflecting the growing strength of this age division and opening more pathways for players to compete at the highest levels.
The SA Women’s Stroke Play Championship will take place from 22-24 February at The Els Club Copperleaf, attracting a formidable international field alongside South Africa’s top female amateurs.
Renowned as a championship‑calibre layout designed by Ernie Els, Copperleaf has previously hosted the Tshwane Open, a DP World and Sunshine Tour event, in 2013 and 2014, elevating its status as one of Gauteng’s premier competition venues. The stroke-play results from both the A- and B-Divisions will determine the leading qualifiers who will go on to contest the SA Women’s Match Play Championship from 25–27 February, with competitors battling for national honours in both the Championship and Flight Divisions.
“These events have helped elevate South African amateur golf to a world-class level and are critical to our player development,” said GolfRSA CEO Grant Hepburn. “The strength of our game lies in our players’ ability to adapt to different conditions, and the 2026 venues offer a superb variety of challenges. All three courses are highly rated, the facilities are world-class, and we expect an exceptional test for every competitor.”
In addition to the GolfRSA South African Swings events, the R&A Africa Amateur Championship and Africa Amateur Women’s Invitational will be staged at Royal Johannesburg Golf Club from 4-7 February. Previously contested at Leopard Creek, the move integrates the championships seamlessly into the SA Swing calendar, offering Africa’s finest golfers a premier stage and world-class conditions leading into the South African Amateur.
“The decision by the R&A to move the Africa Amateur to Gauteng fits seamlessly into our SA Swing,” Hepburn said. “The renowned East Course which has a rich history of staging professional and amateur championships, including the South African Open Championship on ten occasions, the Joburg Open and the men’s and women’s South African Amateur Championships. It was also an International Final Qualifying venue for The Open.”
Hepburn added: “We’re also excited that the international competitors will be able to sharpen their games in several key events leading into the Swing, including the Free State and Gauteng North Opens, and the Eastern Province & Border and the North West Women’s Opens. These tournaments complement the SA Swing and provide further opportunities to prepare for the season’s flagship championships.”
The summer season will culminate with the prestigious 2026 Investec South African Open Championship, where the country’s leading amateurs will have the opportunity to compete for a place in the field through qualifying. Successful qualifiers will join the South African Amateur Champion, the Africa Amateur Championship winner, and three of South Africa’s top-ranked amateurs, all set to tee it up alongside the professionals on one of the game’s most iconic stages.
“Competing against the world’s best on home soil provides invaluable experience and a platform for our players to launch successful professional careers,” Hepburn said. “This is where future champions are made.”
To find out more about the GolfRSA South African Swing, email admin@golfrsa.co.za.