S p e c i a l F e at u r e – Pa r ys i e n n e Fa i r ways
Parysienne Fairways O
n the banks of the Vaal River in the Free State province and only an hour and a half’s drive from Johannesburg lies the town of Parys. Named by a German surveyor who had participated in the Siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War, the location next to the Vaal reminded him of Paris on the Seine River. These days one still gets that feeling when you visit and Parys’ European namesake is very much celebrated throughout town. Blessed with two fantastic golf courses (Vaal de Grace Golf Estate and Parys Golf & Country Estate) it struck us on our recent visit to the town that just as the late great guitarist Gary Moore reminisced about Paris in his 1979 classic “Parisienne Walkways”, a golfer having played here will long to return to these Parysienne Fairways.
Parys Golf & Country Estate
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Vaal de Grace Golf Estate (under new management) is the first Nick Price signature golf course in South Africa and uniquely features fourteen holes in the North West Province and four in the Free State. Parys Golf & Country Estate is the older of the two, having been built in 1976 and then redesigned in 2007 by Cobie Le Grange with DDV Design. The magnificent layout crosses the banks of the Vaal River and is a real test of golfing prowess.
Vaal De Grace Golf Club
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September | October 2018
S p e c i a l F e at u r e – Pa r ys i e n n e Fa i r ways
September | October 2018
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S p e c i a l F e at u r e – Pa r ys i e n n e Fa i r ways
Situated within
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a World Heritage Site arys is the ideal breakaway for stressed out Gautengers. Aside from lovely golf courses there is so much else to do…
Breë Street, the main thoroughfare of Parys is a hive of activity, scattered with awesome shops, art galleries, antique dealers, pubs, delis, spas, restaurants, coffee shops, craft stores and lifestyle boutiques. Many artists have settled in the town and a sense of creativity and energy abounds. The best way to take it all in of course is to park the car and explore on foot. Venture out of town and you will find that Parys is also a haven for adventure seekers.
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Because of the topography and natural positioning of Parys, it is popular for quad biking, mountain biking, hiking, abseiling, archery, water skiing, canoeing, angling, power boating, horse riding, 4x4 routes, obstacle courses, zip lines, gliding , river rafting, fly fishing, archery, paintball and much, much more. To top it all off, Parys is situated within the Vredefort Dome Conservancy, which is the oldest and largest meteorite impact site in the world. The Vredefort Dome has been proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the geological wonders of the Dome are spectacular.
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September | October 2018
S p e c i a l F e at u r e – Pa r ys i e n n e Fa i r ways
Upcoming Sunshine Tour
events happening in Parys Vodacom Origins of Golf - Parys (18th October – 20th October) Venue: Parys Golf and Country Estate Prize money:
R800 000 September | October 2018
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S p e c i a l F e at u r e – Pa r ys i e n n e Fa i r ways
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September | October 2018
S p e c i a l F e at u r e – Pa r ys i e n n e Fa i r ways
September | October 2018
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Affo r d a b l e go l f – F REE S TATE
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September | October 2018