Elephant Hills Golf Course

For the golf enthusiast, it has been said that discovering Elephant Hills must be almost on a par with the momentous occasion in 1855 when that intrepid explorer, Dr. David Livingstone, first saw the now-famous Falls which he named Victoria in honour of his queen. Vic Falls is one of the natural wonders of the world and in a similar vein, Elephant Hills lays claim to be one of the most amazing golf courses on earth. The 6205-meter layout is, in places, only a sand-wedge away from the mighty Zambezi River and, with the spray of the Falls often visible, it embraces much of the romanticism and wildness of Africa.

A round at Elephant Hills invariably offers interesting and varied game viewing. During the day warthog and baboon are often seen, while crocodiles inhabit the water hazards that are present on 13 of the 18 holes. In the early evening before sunset impala and duiker are plentiful, while lion, buffalo and elephant have been known to venture onto the course. Rich in bird life, this Gary Player design is also home to hippos, pythons and puff adders. Don't be alarmed though, if you intend taking a round at Elephant Hills. Reports of golfers being attacked are as rare as eagle-twos on the opening hole, a par-four rated stroke-one on the card.

The course itself is a modification of Player's ambitious 1977 design, the original being a 7600 meter monster, a dream come true for South African golf's maestro whose vision had been to build the continent's longest and toughest layout. Elephant HIlls became a regular stop on the Sunshine Tour, but in 1977, during the prolonged Rhodesian bush war, the course was closed down after a heavy mortar attack and fell into disuse. It was only in 1992 that the course was reopened. The skeleton of the old course is still there but the new one is 1.5 kilometres shorter, easier on the foot and kinder to the scorecard. Wide, generous fairways and large, undulating greens make for a pleasant golfing experience, while a variety of indigenous trees, combined with hostile riverine Zambezi bush, put some bite into Elephant Hills.