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.
