The Legend Golf and Safari resort at Entabeni sanctuary, South Africa, is an extraordinary compilation of three unique golfing experiences in the heart of the African Bush.

Signature course: The first is a dramatic and ridiculously long championship course — an 8510 yard, Par 72 design, where each hole is designed by a world famous golfer. The list of golfers or designers includes Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, Justin Rose, Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia, Luke Donald, K J Choi, Retief Goosen, etc.

Extreme 19th hole: The 19th hole at any golf club is usually the bar, where everyone heads to after a round of golf. However, the 19th hole of this course is even more intoxicating. This is a Par-3 hole with the green at the foot of a mountain and the tee box located on the mountain. You access the tee box only by helicopter (yes you need to fly to the tee box) and tee off to a green that is 400 meters plus below.

The ball takes 20 seconds to land and if the ball, hit from a tee shot finishes in the cup, you win $1 million. For a $250 helicopter ride, you get a chance to win a lot of money. Golfers have birdied this hole and Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman is among those who has achieved Par.

Tribute course : The 10-hole, Tribute course is a compilation of some of the most famous Par-3 holes from around the world — including the 11th hole at Augusta national and the 12th hole at St Andrews.

This entire layout is set in the middle of the African jungle (a wildlife sanctuary), making it all the more exhilarating. Moreover, you get to see the Big 5 animals here — the African elephant, the black rhinoceros, the cape buffalo, the African lion and the leopard. This is a must-visit golf destination.

When to visit : April to September is the best time to visit simply because it rains the least then. November is the wettest month. The temperature is fabulous throughout the year, with maximum of 23°C during December-January and much cooler in June and July .

How to get here

Johannesburg is the closest International airport. It’s a two-hour drive north to the Entabeni Safari conservancy in Limpopo province.

Your golf holiday here : Fly into Johannesburg airport and allow for a three-hour drive up north to get to the Legends Resort. You can stop over at Joburg on the way in or on the way out. It has some of the top golf courses in the country. You can also play golf at courses near the Legends golf course (called the Limpopo area). The Limpopo province is home to world-class game reserves such as the Kruger National Park, Mabula Private Game Reserve and Thornybrush Game Reserve. The top golf courses in this region include the Hans Merensky Hotel & Spa and Euphoria Golf Estate.

More about the area: The Legends resort is located in the Limpopo province. This is northern most province of SA and is rich in wildlife, minerals and is one of the fastest growing provinces thanks to tourism. It is historically the poorest province in SA – but things are changing. From a travel and tourism perspective, this area is ideal from a wildlife perspective with wildlife parks, waterfalls and plenty of outdoor activities to do.

What to do other than golf : The Legends resort will pamper you with an array of things to do. It’s located just 15 minutes from the Doorndraai dam — this opens up a variety of watersports, fishing and birding opportunities. So look forward to water skiing, para sailing, kayaking and fishing. In addition, the resort offers tennis, game drives, mountain bikes, archery, bush walks, helicopter rides. To top it all, get to watch the mythical white lions at the Legends wildlife and cultural centre.

The writer is a passionate golfer and founder of Golfgaga.com

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