A Golfing Safari?

What would it be like to have giraffe and an elephant in your foursome? Can a golfer ever experience nature in its most raw and vital form? If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, then the Hans Merensky Golf Course is just the right stop for you.

The Hans Merensky course, designed by legendary Robert Grimsdell, is ranked as one of the top 20 golf courses in South Africa (also the best walking course in S.A.). Located just minutes from the gates of the Kruger National Park, it has the privilege and honor of having hosted many professional and amateur tournaments.

What makes the Merensky unique is that a golfer playing on the golf course not only has to navigate the large bunkers and bushveld trees that line the fairway, but also needs to watch out for ball-loving crocodiles, hippos and other wildlife. In fact, since the course is bordered by the Kruger National Park, during the drier winter months, elephants, several species of antelope, giraffe, warthogs and even big cats can be found on the course.

Bring your binoculars because playing this course is a real safari experience – on the 16th, a pulled or hooked drive could well land in Kruger National Park. It is hard to imagine a better place to play eighteen holes that also provides an oasis of leisure and elegance. Do not miss your expedition!

The Legend Golf & Safari Resort, South Africa

The Legend Golf & Safari Resort in South Africa – a place to combine your enthusiasm for wildlife and the majestic game – has never failed to take golf to the next level. This 18-hole course is designed by 18 different golf stars, including Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, KJ Choi, Retief Goosen, Justin Rose, Trevor Immelman and Vijay Singh. The Resort also includes privately owned homes, a golf academy, a driving range, a hotel, recreational facilities, a wellness centre, a “Field of Legends” sporting complex and a multi-functional conference centre.

The course’s main attraction, however, is its optional 19th hole which is otherwise named the “Xtreme 19th”. This 630-meter (~700 yard) par 3 is the world’s longest par 3. To play the hole, golfers must tee off from the top of the Hanglip Mountain, which is a quarter mile above the African continent shaped green. Once you tee off, it nearly takes 30 seconds for the ball to hit the ground. By the time it reaches the green, the ball is traveling at such a high velocity that your caddy will need more than a shovel to repair your ball mark.

Playing the Xtreme 19th alone will cost you US$ 385, though included in the price is the helicopter ride, a bunch of souvenirs and a DVD of your shot. But you can make that back and more, as the resort comes with a promise of an astonishing $ 1 million prize for a hole-in-one. Though no one has yet been lucky enough to win it, the ability to play a round at this beautiful resort is by itself a unique and wonderful prize.