How do you decide? What possible scale is there to compare? Let me know, if you have one, for I?m lost.

Which is the moment to be cherished most? A perfectly struck six-iron to eight feet on the 17th at De Zalze (along with the eighth at Arabella, my favourite par-five in the country), and a subsequent birdie? Letting a mouthful of Terroir?s impossibly sublime wood roasted pork belly linger on the palate for what seems like hours, before washing it away with a mouthful of Paradyskloof pinot noir? Or falling asleep in soft white luxury beside a drop-dead gorgeous blonde?

Alright, so I made the last bit up, but only because the drop-dead gorgeous blonde was otherwise occupied for the weekend. I did fall asleep in luxury nonetheless, the lodges at De Zalze offering the perfect sorbet between a lengthy Saturday night dinner and 18 holes the following morning at one of the most under-rated courses in the Cape.

Kleine Zalze?s lodges are apartment-style affairs, with large living rooms spilling into understated bedrooms that in turn lead onto balconies overlooking the par-four first. It?s a great view, particularly in the morning, where the sound of early traffic comes from the army of guinea fowl tearing across the fairway as the sun emerges. Fully self-catering (including a handy dishwasher), there?s even a second bathroom, as well as a huge flatscreen television that sadly wouldn?t fit in the boot of my car?

Testing out Terroir

Aside from a bath very much on the modest size (perfect for a jockey), and a rather kitsch collection of safari-print blinds that scream German tourist (and suggested that German television channels were to be found ? two of them, as expected), the lodges are tastefully done, spacious, and close enough to the restaurant to sway gently back to once the magic of Terroir has been sampled.

Terroir made the national top 10 lists in both Eat Out and Dine magazines last year, which heightens both the anticipation and expectation of a maiden visit. All too often the experience doesn?t quite match the expectations; but no such worries at Terroir.

The food is quite simply outstanding. The wood roasted pork belly is magnificent, bursting with flavour, and due every ounce of endorsement that comes its way. But the signature dish ? like the rest of the menu, scrawled on chalkboards that are set up at each table ? is one of a range of highlights that rule out any chance of going easy on the menu.

Absence of gorgeous blonde meant dinner with Mark van Beuningen of Miravel wine estate; married to a cordon bleu French chef, he makes a fair culinary companion. And one who has an infuriating habit of ordering dishes I wish I?d called first. A duck pancake offers a novel spin on the usual affair (sliced Peking duck with plum sauce); this time it?s a lightly curried version, subtle Eastern flavours carefully infused.

But it?s trumped by the prawn and langoustine risotto, spiked with white truffle oil and offset with a pea puree that?s simply outstanding. Mind you, at R75 for a starter portion, it certainly should be. The pork belly ? served with onion mash and roasted butternut and apple ? steals the show, and next time I am called a pig for watching rugby all day/not washing the dishes/drinking wine from the bottle, I shall remember Terroir's star dish, and wear the label as a compliment.

I'll have to be back for my own one, mind, having stolen mouthfuls in between attacking my selection, a very tender lamb shank, and while the creme brulee and chocolate dessert weren't overly remarkable, the homemade ice cream needs to be ordered, devoured, and then ordered again. Several times, if you can manage it, which I reckon I could.

And there's a carefully chosen wine list (reds stored a little too close to a roaring fire for my liking), Paradyskloof's pinot noir and De Toren Diversity (a fantastic red blend that seems to find something new every year) highlights amongst a broad selection to both complement the food, and see off the winter outside.

Wine tasting at Zalze's cellar offers a similarly warming experience ? as variety goes, the estate offers an impressive number of options across its three ranges, and a staggered tasting is probably sensible (albeit nowhere near as much fun). Use it as a warm-up for dinner next door at Terroir, and you're guaranteed a festive evening?

?and an out-of-bounds drive on the first the following morning. Which, to be honest, is not entirely unusual ? the temptation to cut across the trees of the short left-to-right dogleg frequently makes for a vanishing golf ball. But a few lost ProV1s is a small price to pay for dinner at Terroir, and an even smaller price for a round at De Zalze, host to this year's World Amateur Team Championship, and one of the most delightfully thought out courses in South Africa.

"...this is a challenging, quirky 18 holes..."

Peter Matkovich has created a host of top courses across southern Africa, high-profile developments like Arabella having received the bulk of attention. But the decision to build houses on the existing course (formerly known as Spier) has for once improved, rather than detracted from the course, which has been tidied up, tweaked, and turned into something rather special under the direction of Dave Hansen and his team.

From the deceptively cute short holes on two and nine, to the enticing signature 13th (it's simply not possible to hold back and not attack the green), to the vast sprawl of a par-five that is 14, with its massive split fairway, this is a challenging, quirky 18 holes.

And to be honest, I think it's the highlight of a stay at De Zalze; just to be sure, though, I'm going to head back and order several plates of pork belly for myself. There's a spa on the way, apparently, which might encourage the blonde to come along next time ? but even if she doesn't, I reckon I could still manage 18 holes, a luxury apartment, and nights of great food and wine on my own. You just have to be selfless about these things, I guess.