Legendary golf and safari resort reopens in South Africa – with one hole only accessible via helicopter
The Legend Golf & Safari Resort has officially reopened in Limpopo, bringing a one-of-a-kind destination to South Africa.
The golfing destination was originally created by Peet Cilliers, with the idea of offering a world-class golf course next to the Entabeni Game Reserve, marrying golf with Big 5 nature.
The resort quickly expanded in the 2000s and 2010s, with an influx of golfers, conferences and other events.
The company partnered with Dubai-based IFA Hotels & Resorts in 2007 to create the Legend/IFA Development company.
IFA requested to take over management of the Resort & Entabeni from July 2019. The golf courses and resort were closed shortly after, whilst Entabeni is kept operational.
After the COVID pandemic, Legend Hospitality started managing group, leisure & safari events at Legend. In 2023, Peet Cilliers and other conservationists acquired shares in IFA Hotels & Resorts.
The location then underwent a year-long redevelopment, which included the reconstruction of the Tribute Golf Course, the construction of a new Tribute Clubhouse, and major changes to its clubhouse.
The location officially reopened in May 2026, unveiling three distinct world-class golf courses.
One notable hole is the Extreme 19th, which is globally recognised as the world’s longest and most dramatic par-3.
The hole is only accessible via helicopter, with players flown to the summit of the Hanglip Mountain in the Waterberg.
Golfers then tee off approximately 400 metres downhill toward a 1,600-square-metre green shaped like the African continent.
“The carry is vast, the views are staggering, and the pressure is unlike anything in golf,” the resort said.
Shot-tracking technology is also in development for the Extreme 19th, which will capture every moment of the tee shot.
This includes full ball-flight tracking and launch data, as well as post-shot analytics and cinematic footage.
More than golf
“Legend was always more than a golf course – it was a vision of what Africa could offer the world,” said Cilliers.
“We set out to create experiences that exist nowhere else on earth, and with this reopening, we are delivering on that promise with even greater ambition.”
The Big 5 still roam the broader conservancy beyond, with the sound of zebras and giraffes for golfers teeing off.
Guests can also stay in luxuriously appointed lodges, which are designed to blend seamlessly into the surrounding bush.
They can also be done under the infinite African sky and wake to a soundtrack that no city course can replicate.
“Golf and conservation are not in conflict – at Legend, they are inseparable. Every round played here directly supports the preservation of one of Africa’s great wilderness areas,” said Cilliers.
“That is our commitment, and it is what makes this place unlike anywhere else in the golfing world.”
The resort added that with global interest in golf tourism at an all-time high and South Africa firmly on the international travel map, its return could not be more apt.
The resort is now accepting reservations for its three courses, with bespoke golf packages available for individuals, corporate groups and international tour operators.
Images of Legend Golf & Safari Resort
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