Steeped in tradition, Houghton Golf Club is one of South Africa's premier golfing venues. The course has a proud history as a championship facility having hosted no fewer than eight SA Open events, the first of which took place in 1951. The course too has been the chosen venue for the prestigious Alfred Dunhill Championship. Houghton's underlying qualities as a test of golf have not been radically altered with the passing of the years, though, to stay abreast of developments in the game the decision was taken to appoint the Jack Nicklaus design group as the course architects for the new layout. The parkland layout is dotted with ponds and dams, an abundance of flowering shrubs also provide great variety and colour. Situated adjacent to the greenbelt of The Wilds the site is a perfect extension to Johannesburg's natural fauna and flora and is a proclaimed bird sanctuary with Egyptian geese, guinea fowl, dikkops, plovers and a variety of waterfowl in being present.