Devil Ball Golf - Golf

The brand-new golf course at the Legends Golf & Safari Resort in South Africa is an amazing stretch of 18 holes designed by 18 different top-flight golfers, including Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, K.J. Choi, Retief Goosen, Justin Rose, Trevor Immelman and Vijay Singh. And I'm sure each one of those 18 holes is a perfect mini-masterpiece of challenge and reward. Along with, apparently, a lion or two along the way, if we're to believe the brochures.

But that's nothing. Wait until you get to the bonus 19th hole.

The course's so-called "Xtreme 19th" hole is a par 3 -- a par 3 whose tee is atop a cliff on Hanglip Mountain, more than 1,400 feet above a green carved like the continent of Africa. You've got to take a helicopter to get to the tee box, and from there it's more than 630 yards to the pin. Once you tee off, it takes nearly 30 seconds for the ball to hit the ground.

Should you manage to drill a hole-in-one on the 19th, congratulations -- you've just won yourself a million bucks, and the right to call yourself the most Xtreme golfer on Earth! And unlike certain signature holes (Island Green at Sawgrass, we're looking at you), you can play just the Xtreme 19th, if you like, without messing with all that full-round business. You can, of course, add it to your existing round, a la carte. And for tournaments held at the Legends, it will serve as the playoff hole. Playing all 19 holes runs about 2,000 South African rand, or about $220 in American bills, but for that you get the helicopter ride, plus a bunch of souvenir swag and a DVD of your shot.

One-Eyed Golfer (via Waggle Room) uncovered some astonishing video of Harrington and Raphael Jacquelin playing the hole. Check out the height of this thing above the green:

Man, you'd need a shovel to repair the ball marks left if you hit the green from that high up. It'd be like a grenade! Plus, you'd better make darn sure the group ahead of you has cleared the green. I don't think yelling "fore" would be enough to prepare somebody for a golf ball dropping from a quarter-mile up.

Me, I'd probably land it somewhere 100 yards short of the green, but so what -- that's still a 500-plus-yard drive. Take that, Tiger!

(Thanks to One-Eyed Golfer and Waggle Room)

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743 Comments

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  1. Unsilent Majority
    1. Posted by Unsilent Majority Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

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    Players have to remember to deduct one stroke off of their score on the Vijay hole.
  2. Timmy
    2. Posted by Timmy Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:23 pm EDT

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    IS it included in the greens fee?? Or do you have to pay for it also?
  3. Dre D
    3. Posted by Dre D Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:59 pm EDT

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    thats super high
  4. Eric M
    4. Posted by Eric M Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:54 pm EDT

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    that would be an awesome hole...of course me being afraid of heights would cause me more problems then worrying about hitting it right lol
  5. Lon dog
    5. Posted by Lon dog Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:56 pm EDT

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    John daly cant play this course.
  6. EJC
    6. Posted by EJC Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:52 pm EDT

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    or 8th
  7. Charlie P
    7. Posted by Charlie P Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:22 pm EDT

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    Please tell me this an April Fools joke. If it's true, then in a world riddled with dire economic problems, poverty issues and environmental concerns, this is pathetic The pros whose names are on this should be ashamed.
  8. Jaterize
    8. Posted by Jaterize Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:29 pm EDT

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    Thats crazy. It would be cool to play that hole.
  9. JW
    9. Posted by JW Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    I'd still end up in the trees
  10. Kyle S
    10. Posted by Kyle S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:03 pm EDT

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    I think you should have to base jump off after you hit your drive. Now that would be extreme!!!!
  11. JW
    11. Posted by JW Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    I'd still end up in the trees.
  12. C
    12. Posted by C Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:54 pm EDT

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    Cost???
  13. Dylan L
    13. Posted by Dylan L Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:50 pm EDT

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    I wanna do that
  14. Zelgadis G
    14. Posted by Zelgadis G Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:37 pm EDT

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    Simply epic - although I find it hard to believe that the average person will hit even the general area of the hole with any consistency. I wonder where the drop spot is.
  15. Tom K
    15. Posted by Tom K Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:15 pm EDT

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    or 16th
  16. SUPER CHARGER
    16. Posted by SUPER CHARGER Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:38 pm EDT

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    How environmentaly friendly!
  17. Matt
    17. Posted by Matt Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:56 pm EDT

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    this is insane ... i wanna try it.
  18. DonS
    18. Posted by DonS Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:44 pm EDT

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    The hole would not affect my game one bit!
  19. Michael T. Grace
    19. Posted by Michael T. Grace Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:18 pm EDT

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    John Daly would tumble down ala Homer Simpson off a cliff.
  20. Phil M
    20. Posted by Phil M Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:48 pm EDT

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    All I can think of is "extreeeeeeeeeeeeme doritos" from harold and kumar go to white castle.
  21. MASTER_YODA
    21. Posted by MASTER_YODA Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:16 pm EDT

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    That is the coolest thing ever! i wana see Tiger Woods take on that Par 3. I'd hate to lose my grip on the driver from there!! LOL!
  22. SK
    22. Posted by SK Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:43 pm EDT

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    those were some impressive shots, theres gotta be some wind factor from that high up
  23. Kenny
    23. Posted by Kenny Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:13 pm EDT

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    do you have to pay to play the course??????
    because if you dont ill be there everyday for the rest of my life, trying to win that prize lol
  24. mark nofler
    24. Posted by mark nofler Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:40 pm EDT

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    With my slice the ball would have enough time to come back and hit me!
  25. DREW N
    25. Posted by DREW N Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    How much fun would that be!!!! I bet the green fee's are crazy

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