“Our MD, Richard Holt, recently visited The Legends Golf & Safari Resort. An avid golfer, he was easily distracted by one of the most talked about courses in Southern Africa. This is his account of his combined golfing and safari experience.”

Apart from good wine and food, my two most passionate pastimes living in South Africa are playing golf and game watching in the bush. So a recent weekend trip to the proclaimed Legends Golf and Safari resort in the heart of South Africa’s Limpopo province was eagerly anticipated. Just a three hour leisurely drive North of Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport, the resort is situated in the beautiful Waterberg region famous for its majestic craggy rock formations and wide open grass plains and home to Africa’s big five.

We were here at the invitation of resort MD Pete Richardson and conducting a site inspection for a large event we’d been commissioned to organise. Pete was keen to show us around and for now work and the Big 5 could wait, first, I was hunting birdies and golf was on my radar. The golf experience at Legend Golf & Safari Resort is nothing short of exceptional. The Resort has built a reputation in South Africa with its signature championship golf course, the first in the world to have each of its eighteen holes designed by a world famous golfer. But the real talking point was the “extreme 19th” an extra hole, that required a helicopter ride to the top of the nearby Hangklip mountain  and a tee off down to a green shaped like Africa  400 metres below.

I had a really interesting warm up on the tribute course with each of the holes designed exactly to replicate some of the most famous par 3 holes in the world. An academy with a unique approach to learning and designed in a unique style is also on site and with target greens the shape of elephants heads the driving range at Legend Golf & Safari Resort has once again stretched the golfing imagination. Each of the six target greens is guarded by two tusk bunkers – as are the three chipping greens. Whether part of a national golf squad or a keen amateur, the teaching and practice facilities are designed to make the most of your game – and all played in the most spectacular setting and in a climate conducive to great golf.

For golfers alone it’s a great experience ideal for a weekend away, and will allow you to follow in the footsteps of great champions like Padriag Harrington, Gary Player, Retief Goosen, Trevor Immelman and Sergio Garcia and come and experience the best golf safari experience around. 

As Legend Golf & Safari Resort is situated on Entabeni Safari Conservancy, a private game reserve, the range of wildlife and activities available to experience and enjoy is truly impressive. Firstly there’s the Big 5 – Lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard. Then there’s the 50+ mammal species, 300 plant species and almost 400 bird species not to mention the reptiles and amphibians all co-existing in a range diverse eco-systems from grassland to bushveld to forests and mountains.

The furtive Leopards of the Waterberg are a regular sight in the reserve which should be no surprise as the Waterberg Mountains are home to the highest concentration of leopards in the world. Rhinoceros are common and share the open grasslands with the hippo. But for a different experience, The Legend Wildlife & Cultural Centre which is located on site is committed to the conservation of endangered African species such as the white lions, the sable antelope and the cheetah. That means you can learn all about these captivating creatures and the difficulties they are facing in their natural environments and see them up close which is an incredible experience. Their unique centre is an off-shoot of Legend Golf & Safari Resort and the Big Five Entabeni Safari Conservancy.

As for the accommodation, the resort’s estate rooms have been built to the highest specification and effortlessly combine African style with modern amenity. Based around four design styles, all the properties cater for the modern traveller while allowing them to experience the wonders of the African bush. The neighbouring Entabeni Safari Conservancy boasts five luxury lodges which offer an alternative accommodation and dining experience.

Legend Golf & Safari Resort has all the facilities you would expect from a world class leisure resort. The safari experience and golf facilities alone make the resort a very special place.

To find out more, contact our Travel Team at info@travelconcepts.co.za