Euphoria Golf Course and Estate
Par: 72
Lengths:
Men – 6,540m (6767 yards)
Ladies – 5,145m (5460 yards)
Championship – 7,055m (7583 yards)
Euphoria Golf Course was opened by Annika Sorenstam on 4 November 2008 and it has grown into a beautiful and testing bushveld course. One could define a bushveld course as a relatively challenging golf course built in the majestic African bush, and that is exactly what Euphoria is. Each hole greets you with wide fairways and big greens, yet each hole is protected by thick bush and veld grass should you stray off the short stuff. Even with all the trees and bushes, Euphoria has an almost links feel to it and you can’t help but appreciate the majesty of South Africa when you play a round at this championship course. With the Waterberg as a backdrop, even if you play badly you can do nothing more than take it all in and appreciate that sometimes in life there is nothing better to do in the world than play golf.
Euphoria Golf Course is not easy, and despite the similarities to a links course, it is actually very long. As long as the course is, driver is not always an option off the tee, so clever golf is the order of the day on most of the holes. From an overall experience offering, Euphoria is a real winner. It is still very young and there are small kinks to work out, but management seems to be on the ball, the Estate is growing steadily. The clubhouse is world class, with great views back over the course and the bush and despite the slow kitchen, Euphoria Golf Course is good value for money and a great golfing adventure.
Featured Holes:
Front 9:
9th Hole
I don’t know if we chose this hole as the featured hole because it was easier than the eight before it, or if it really is the best hole on the front nine, but none can deny the magnificence of Euphoria’s 9th hole. It is a short, reachable par 5 that plays back and up toward the clubhouse. Once you have negotiated the drive over a ravine and found the generous fairway, you are left with an approach uphill to a well protected green. With the Waterberg Mountains in the background, this 395 – 520m par 5 is a good finish to a rather tough front nine. Walking away with a par will leave most weekend golfers happy, and the more regular player contempt, but going for lunch on the back of a birdie would definitely be the order of the day from this great par 5.
Back 9:
17th Hole
Water doesn’t play a huge role during a round at Euphoria, but that may have been due to the lack of rain in the area at that time of year. However, on the par 3 17th hole, the course’s main storage dam sits between you and the green. With the backdrop of the mountains reflecting on the water in front of you, the 17th is the most picturesque hole on the course. It has the appearance of a hole that has been built up from the water and the rock face in front of the green along with one or two deep and well placed bunker makes the 17th a tough par 3 just to look at. It also plays anywhere from 130m to 200m long, so depending on wind and pin placement, a long iron over a large body of water is never easy on the nerves. This is a great little hole towards the end of a very stern test of golf and when you follow it up with the strong 18th hole you could have two of the best finishing holes in Limpopo.