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Bushwhacking in Limpopo
Text: Jason Mylroie. Article from the Janaury 2013 issue of the Compleat Golfer Magazine.
South Africa is unique in that it is home to ‘safari golf’, and the northern most province of Limpopo is where you will find a cluster of bushveld layouts ready to test your game – as well as your knowledge of the roaming wildlife.
Just like Scotland has its traditional links courses, America its parkland layouts and Australia its sandbelt tracks, South Africa has safari golf. Qualities particular to this version of the game include having to occasionally move your ball away from animal droppings, navigate your way through prickly acacia trees and watch out for spitting cobras when searching through the rough. Along with these rather novel hazards, there is also the opportunity to view some of Africa’s finest wild animals grazing on the savannah while you hunt for birdies and eagles.
The province of Limpopo (formerly Northern Transvaal) is recognised more for its agriculture and mining than for golf. Named after the Limpopo River, which serves as the border between South Africa and Zimbabwe, the province is also home to 80 percent of the country’s game-hunting industry. However, the growth of golf globally has seen more bushveld courses opening up, where tourists are able to shoot at pins as opposed to animals.
Although Polokwane is the capital of Limpopo, I recommend heading towards the town of Bela-Bela (formerly Warmbaths) in the Waterberg district, as it is around here that you will find some of the country’s top golf estates and reserves, such as Elements Private Golf Reserve and Zebula Golf Estate and Spa.
A relatively short drive from Bela-Bela will see you arrive at Koro Creek Golf Estate in Modimolle, with former ladies world No 1 Annika Sorenstam’s signature course at Euphoria Golf Estate and Hydro a little further on towards the N1 highway. All these estates feature 18-hole courses as well as other family facilities, and accommodation is either hotel or self-catering.
When it comes to playing golf on these bushveld layouts, you often get the feeling you are alone on the course – space is certainly not an issue as the holes make their way through the dense vegetation. Searching for golf balls in the thicker rough that flanks each hole is not always a good idea, as you never know what might be watching you. The ‘beware of snakes’ signs aren’t there just for decoration.
The many courses throughout Limpopo offer varying degrees of difficulty, so try to play more than one course in each of the different regions. All of them are unique and will test your course management and ability to play different shots.
Limpopo is less than two hours’ drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria and as such offers the perfect weekend getaway, where playing golf can be combined with spending time in the bushveld. Winter in the region is pleasant while summer can be very hot and humid, but a pool is always nearby to cool you down after a day on the course.
Legend Golf and Safari Resort
Legend
Opened 2008
Designed by Various (with Douw van der Merwe)
Lenght 7 748m – par 72
Greenfees Signature Course – R650 (incl cart and halfway), Extreme 19th – R7 370 per fourball
While it may be a little off the beaten track, everything about Legend Golf and Safari Resort screams big and bold. The estate itself is massive, the golf course is imposing and the variety of activities on offer is remarkable – even the wildlife here is large. Fortunately the animals keep to themselves in the Entabeni Safari Conservancy, the Big-Five private game reserve on which Legend is located, but there are plenty of game-viewing opportunities for visitors to enjoy.
Accommodation options at Legend are either the resort suites or the lodges, both of which scream five-star opulence.
The Legend course is unique in that it has 18 different designers; one for each hole. Each designer is a famous pro golfer, with the likes of Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen and Luke Donald among the 18 big names that have designed a hole. As such, each hole can claim to be the course’s signature one – and it’s clear once you start playing here that you are in for something special.
The course is quite long, measuring over 6 500 metres from the club tees, but most fairways are forgiving enough to allow you to ‘let rip’ with your driver – and since this course is at altitude, the balls seem to fly forever.
Arguably the biggest attraction at Legend is the Extreme 19th hole – a par three played off the top of Hanglip Mountain to an Africa-shaped green below. The hole is 400 metres long with a vertical drop of 430 metres, and tee shots take some 20-or-so seconds to land. You need to take a helicopter just to get to the tee, but it’s well worth it for the chance to get your name on the Extreme 19th leaderboard.
As if that wasn’t enough, Legend is also home to a novel par-three layout called the Tribute Course, where all holes are designed and created to the same specifications as the most famous par threes in the world. There are replicas of the 12th at Augusta, TPC Sawgrass’ island-green 17th and Troon’s ‘Postage Stamp’ among the 10 fascinating tribute holes.
Zebula Golf Estate and Spa
Zebula
Opened 2004
Designed by Peter Matkovich
Lenght 6 828m – par 72
Greenfees R 440
Just over a half-an-hour’s drive out of the town of Bela-Bela will see you arrive at the front gates of Zebula Golf Estate and Spa, home to Zebula Country Club.
The estate offers a multitude of activities for the entire family, all of which stick to the safari theme. There are plenty of animals in enclosures to keep the young ones interested, while the spa caters for anyone looking to rid themselves of the stress of city life. Game drives are available within the Zebula reserve, where you can view a variety of antelope, birds and smaller carnivores, while a trip to Mabalingwe Nature Reserve, 28 kilometres out of Bela-Bela, will give you the chance to see elephant, rhino and buffalo in their natural habitat.
The golf course at Zebula caters for all levels of golfers with its wide fairways and large greens. This shouldn’t deter the lower handicaps though, as the championship tees provide a stern test and the lightning-fast greens will have anyone trembling at the knees when facing a short downhill putt.
The large thatch-roofed clubhouse, which doubles up as the hotel reception and restaurant, blends into the surrounds well and provides numerous places to sit and have your post-round beverages while listening to other golfers reminisce about their day out on the course. The deck above the veranda is a great place to be at sunset when the animals come out of the bush and can be seen grazing on the fairways. You need not worry about them ruining the perfectly manicured greens, as ropes guard these each night.
Zebula offers both hotel lodging and self-catering options in the many privately owned houses on the estate. The estate fills up most weekends and is a hive of activity more often than not, especially over the holidays. If you intend to stay for a few nights, make sure you book well in advance.
Elements Private Golf Reserve
Elements
Opened 2005
Designed by Peter Matkovich
Lenght 6 933m-par 72
Greenfees R300 (midweek), R400 (weekend)
It’s hard to imagine a golf course in the area where Elements Private Golf Reserve is situated until you actually see it. Hidden in a valley at the foot of the Waterberg mountain range, this Peter Matkovich championship course offers you the chance to get as close to the wild as possible while working your way along green fairways surrounded by thick African bushveld.
The reserve is on an untarred road between the back gate of Zebula Golf Estate and Spa and Bela-Bela, but it is easier to get to it from the town, as the road from Zebula is quite rough. Once through the gates, a short drive past some spectacular houses that look onto the course will get you to the large and open clubhouse. From here you can view the 9th and 18th holes and the practice greens, with the rest of the course spread out ahead of you in-between the bush.
The course offers a proper championship challenge, with undulating greens and fairways that twist and turn and rise and fall through the valley. Water hazards also feature on numerous occasions, with the closing hole on each nine sharing a large green flanked by a dam.
Accommodation is available at Elements in the form of two-or four-bedroom self-catering lodges, while some private houses on the estate are also available for rent during certain times of the year.
Elements is one of the finest examples of a safari course in South Africa and tends to be in immaculate condition all year round. What Matkovich has done with the available terrain is truly impressive, especially the way he has managed to blend a course into the harsh African environment so well. Make sure you play Elements while in the region and you can be sure you will want to return to have another shot at it at a later stage.
Euphoria Golf Estate and Hydro
Euphoria
Opened 2008
Designed by Annika Sorenstam
Lenght 7040m – par72
Greenfees R340 (incl cart)
Much of the talk about Euphoria Golf Estate and Hydro over the past few years has been about the financial troubles it has gone through, but after visiting the course and facilities, it’s safe to say that it is still in great condition.
“During your round you are bound to bump into some form of wildlife…”
The estate, which is about an hour’s drive from Bela-Bela and just seven kilometres outside of Mookgophong (Naboomspruit), features a hotel, golf academy, spa and the distinctive cable car that takes guests up to the Sundowner Deck Restaurant at the top of the mountain overlooking the entire resort.
The course itself is the first and only Annika Sorenstam signature layout in South Africa and offers a variety of tests, thanks to the multitude of tee-boxes on each hole. It ranges from 5 145 metres off the front red tees to a mammoth 7 055 metres off the white championship tees. The fairways are wide and welcoming, but it is the fairway bunkers that need to be avoided, as these deep sandpits are often invisible from the tee and can lead to some nasty scores if found.
During your round you are bound to bump into some form of wildlife, and it is recommended that you stay off the course in the evenings, as the more dangerous animals tend to come out then. Leopards have been known to inhabit the trees on the course and you can’t be sure what else is lurking in the shadows come dusk.
Plots are available on Euphoria for residential purposes, and as at Zebula and Elements, some of the completed houses are available to rent on a self-catering basis. www.euphoriaestate.co.za
The golfing opportunities offered by Limpopo are true South African experiences, and for non-golfers, there is an abundance of wildlife reserves to choose from where you can enjoy a scenic drive while searching for the Big Five.
Option 1
Limpopo Golf experience
Price per person sharing R3 250
Includes
- Two nights’accommodation at Zebula including breakfast
- Three rounds of golf (incl shared cart) at Zebula,
Option 2
Eagle Golf experience at Legend
Price per person sharing R3 730
Includes
- Two nights’ accommodation at Legend Golf and Safari Resort
- Two dinners
- Two rounds of golf on the Legend Signature Course (incl shared cart)
- Two rounds of golf on the Legend Tribute Course
- One free swing assessment
Book now
Contact Diane on 078 456 5070 or email.
Options are valid until 31 October 2013.
Other courses in Limpopo
The Waterberg region of Limpopo, particularly Bela-Bela, is not the only place in the province to play golf. Modimolle (formerly Nylstroom) is just up the road from Bela-Bela and is home to Koro Creek Golf Estate. You can travel almost to the border of South Africa and Zimbabwe, where you will find Louis Trichardt Golf Club, or hang around in the capital of Limpopo, Polokwane, and play a round there. Part of the Kruger National Park is situated within Limpopo and it is on the border of the park, in the town of Phalaborwa, where you will find the iconic Hans Merensky Hotel and Spa, famous for its’ golf in the wild’ experience. Voted as one of the best walking courses in the country, you are sure to come across the odd giraffe or warthog on the layout, possibly along with some other unexpected visitors.
The growing list of Golf Courses in Limpopo includes
- Amandelbult Golf Club
- Drakensig Golf Club
- Elements Private Golf Reserve
- Euphoria Golf Estate & Hydro
- Hans Merensky Hotel & Golf Estate
- Kameeldoring Country Club
- Koro Creek Golf Estate
- Louis Trichardt Golf Club
- Messina Golf Club
- Mogol Golf Club
- Naboomspruit Golf Club
- Orangedene Country Club
- Polokwane Golf Club
- Rooiberg Golf Club
- Royal Northland Golf Club
- Swartklip Golf Club
- Thabazimbi Golf Club
- Tzaneen Country Club
- University of Limpopo Golf Club
- Zebediela Country Club
- Zebula Golf Estate & Spa
More info on the Limpopo area |
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