Gary Player won three of his 13 South African Opens at this leafy, parkland course, while Ernie Else set a 15-under-par record score of 273 here in the same tournament in 1993, his victory then catapulting him into the international limelight.
Houghton received a rare honour in February 1995, when it was chosen to host the inaugural Alfred Dunhill Challenge between southern Africa and Australasia, the southern hemisphere's answer to the Ryder Cup.
At 6434 meters, Houghton is not an overly long course by highveld standards, as the ball flies a long way in Johannesburg's rarefied atmosphere.
Short, however, does not always translate into easy, and some exciting tee shots and approaches are required if you are attempting to master the holes.
The predominant grass is Kikuyu, which when closely mown provides a truly magnificent surface from which to play. Houghton is renowned for its conditioning a wealth of wonderful par-four holes.
Designed by: Peter Matkovich (1994)
Type: Parklands golf course
Holes: 18
Par: 72
Fairway Grass: Kikuyu
Greens Grass: Bent grass
Length: 6434m (Ladies: 5237m)
