Stay, Play and Explore

DAY 1: PLAY ZEBULA GOLF COURSE

Zebula is one of the top golf resort experiences in Southern Africa, offering a perfect getaway year-round thanks to the pleasant Limpopo weather. With a range of facilities, it caters to honeymoon couples, families, and golfing groups, making it an ideal weekend escape. As the first Waterberg golf resort/estate, Zebula introduced the unique blend of golf and wildlife in a malaria-free region near Gauteng. Players frequently encounter herds of animals and abundant birdlife during rounds. The course, designed by Peter Matkovich, features wide fairways and challenging greens, seamlessly integrated into the bushveld landscape. Visitors can enjoy diverse leisure activities, including game drives, horseback riding, and educational interactions at the bird of Prey Rehabilitation Center. Zebula’s hospitality is exceptional, with delightful after-golf experiences on the deck or clubhouse terrace.

COURSE RECORD

61 by Darren Fichardt, 2015 Vodacom Origins Final. 3 eagles, 7 birdies (28-33)
61 by Joshua Berry (England, age 18), 2024 SDC Open. 10 birdies, one eagle (32-29)

FEATURE HOLES

Peter Matkovich has his usual risk-and-reward par 5 with a water hazard to finish the round on 18, and the back nine features another unusual par 5 at 15 with two separate fairways. Long hitters can venture down the left fairway to leave a shorter but riskier approach over rough bushveld to the green. The opening hole is a challenging par 4 with a sharp dogleg right around a stand of trees. The par-3 eighth is a beauty, surrounded on three sides by water.

DAY 2: PLAY ELEMENTS GOLF COURSE

The bushveld course at Elements Private Golf Reserve has thrived over the last two years with good rainfall, restoring it to its former glory among South Africa’s Top 10 courses. This modern Peter Matkovich design captivates visitors with its natural beauty and diverse wildlife. The championship layout features wide fairways, slick bent grass greens, and rugged, rocky terrain with subtle elevation changes. Unique holes, like the uphill par 4, showcase Matkovich’s creative design, offering golfers a challenging yet rewarding experience. The course winds through indigenous trees and natural hillsides, providing stunning views and a serene golfing environment. The multi-story clubhouse, perched on a high ridge, offers panoramic views of the course and surrounding landscape, making Elements a perfect escape from city life.

COURSE RECORD

63, Joel Girrbach (Swiss) in 2022 SDC Open (30-33: nine birdies), co-sanctioned Sunshine Tour and European Challenge Tour. Elements co-hosted with Zebula.

FEATURE HOLES

A pulpit tee overlooking the dam and clubhouse has transformed the par-3 ninth into a signature hole with a terrific view. There are several other tees at ground level. The par 5s at Elements are all lengthy holes, concluding with the 18th where a big drive can run forever down a hillside towards a green guarded on the left by the main dam. Doglegs abound on the course, with greens hidden away among the bushy vegetation.

DAY 3: PLAY KORO CREEK

Koro Creek is a premier modern bushveld golf course in the Waterberg region of Limpopo, easily accessible from the N1 highway and centrally located for exploring the area’s numerous courses. This 18-hole championship course features a diverse layout, with a shorter, challenging front nine with sloped greens and a longer back nine offering birdie opportunities for long hitters. Koro Creek hosts prestigious events like the Big Five Pro-Am, the Limpopo Championship, the Limpopo Open, and the men’s Premier Interprovincial. The estate offers secure, upmarket residential housing with convenient town infrastructure, making it an attractive destination for retirees and golfers alike.

COURSE RECORD

62 by Rourke van der Spuy in second round of Limpopo Championship (30-32), with eight birdies & an eagle 3 at 18.

There was a 63 by Danie van Tonder in 2020 Limpopo Championship, and three 63s in 2022, by Nic Bachem, Max Rottluff and Oliver Hundeboll.

FEATURE HOLES

Koro Creek has one of the most unique and challenging par 3s. The seventh is a special bushveld creation, and can play anything from 140 metres to a daunting 222 from the back tee, although the Sunshine Tour never played it longer than 192 metres. The tee shot has to carry high trees to seek out a large green that has water hazards on both flanks. Short or long is safer than being wide. The first and 18th are two good risk-and-reward par 5s, particularly the opening hole where the green is within reach for two for many golfers, but beware of the deep pond in front of it.