55

Euphoria

Mookgophong - Limpopo

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Golf director: S P Nienaber
Greenkeeper: James Hlungwani
Club captain: Tebello Maphike
CRITERIA SUMMARY: Total points 70.2 out of 100
Conditioning15.0 / 20
Playability14.7 / 20
Aesthetics11.5 / 15
Design Variety10.2 / 15
Shot Values9.5 / 15
Memorability9.3 / 15

Course Summary

Four tees / Par 72

Gold 7040 metres, CR76.8/148
White 6525 metres, CR74.2/137
Blue 5945 metres, CR71.1/132
Red 5130 metres, CR66.7/124
Women’s blue, CR77.6/142
Women’s red, CR72.7/131

Visitor green fee

R600 includes cart and halfway house

Course designer

Annika Sorenstam 2008

Contact

014 743 5000
www.euphoriaestate.co.za

Previous ranking

51 (2022) & 55 (2021)

This attractive bushveld course in the Waterberg region of Limpopo was a project by European Golf Design with Annika Sorenstam, who is the first and only woman to have a course attributed to her in South Africa.

In a beautiful tranquil setting, with some remarkable bird life, it is a quiet course in terms of rounds. Eight kilometres from Mookgophong (Naboomspruit), there are a limited number of residential homes, and just 140 members. 

Euphoria’s strength lies in its memorability of design. The holes have individuality in among the bushveld, and there is a collective continuity to them. Nearly every hole is distinctively hidden away in its own isolated part of bushveld. The only downside to this is the long walks between green and tee, so a golf cart is essential in getting around comfortably. The cart paths are excellent.

Each tee complex is slightly elevated providing a good view of the hole and surrounding bushveld. Wide fairways with wild grasses and deep bunkers give the course something of a links feel at times. Several of the holes cross a natural ravine, mostly dry, which runs through the estate, and some exquisite large marula trees are a feature.

Additional Course Facts

Course Record

68, CJ du Plessis, Limpopo-based Sunshine Tour pro.

Feature Holes

The par-4 fifth has a large bunker splitting the fairway, offering various options off the tee on how to play the hole. There is a fine quartet of par 3s, notably the long 17th alongside a large dam. Each of the nines ends with a par 5 in front of the clubhouse.

Accommodation

Luxury Bush Villas are situated close to the clubhouse and hydro spa. There are 64 en-suite rooms. The estate has a waterpark and a cable car which takes guests to a facility at the top of a hill overlooking the estate.

Practice Facility

A 350-metre long range (200 metres wide) adjoins the first tee, and there are short-game areas.

Did You Know

1/ Euphoria has hosted both Sunshine Tour events and Interprovincial tournaments. The Limpopo Championship from 2019 to 2023 was won twice by JC Ritchie on 18-under 270 (2019) and 19-under 269 (2020), and by Brandon Stone (280 in 2021), Mateusz Gradecki (Poland, 269 in 2022) and Ryan van Velzen (204 in 2023).

2/ Ross McGowan shot 64 in 2019 Limpopo Championship, but it was not recognised as a course record because of placing and use of some forward tees.

3/ A cableway is attached to the clubhouse, and the small car – a perfect fit for a golfing fourball – rises 400 metres to the Sundowner Deck and a restaurant atop the hill overlooking the estate. The view from the deck over the bushveld and the golf course is sensational.

4/ Euphoria is one of several Waterberg golf estates that offer a bushveld experience in a malaria-free area, easily accessible to Gauteng.

Club Champions

2020 JP Jordaan
2019 Johan Krugel & Joanne Shields

Course and Facilities Rating
Conditioning Ratings
Greens
Bunkers
Tees
Fairways
Presentation
Overall Conditioning
Facility Ratings
Pace of Play
Practice Facility
Halfway House
Pro Shop
Service
Locker Room
19th Hole
Course Etiquette
Course Reviews
First time I had visited Euphoria. First impression on entering the bushveld estate was wow! Sadly, there was no feeling of wow on leaving. The condition of the course, service, and flow from arriving at the car park to halfway house to teeing off was dismal. Green fee over-priced considering all the bunkers were out of play. No balls on range, no marshalls on course, poor presentation of halfway house. We were a sizeable group of golfers and it concerns me that a course which may be battling for customers or upgrading their facility would not up their game for us. It shows a lack of appreciation.
Dijon Tintinger
04 July 2023
I have good memories of Euphoria so was pleased to return. It is a long course so walking is not an option. Bunkers were being worked on, so that detracted from the experience and memory of previous visits. The greens, though, were in great condition but challenging. Their inverted saucer shapes make them hard to read and means a struggle to find a flat run at the hole. The course played longer than I remembered. The runoff areas had the sort of rough where balls sink in and are not easily found. An intermediate tee between white and blue would ensure greater enjoyment for the younger golfer who doesn’t always hit it straight but is too embarrassed or vain to play from the forward blue tees.
Sabelo Ndabazandile
22 June 2023
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Euphoria was in brilliant condition and the greens running nicely. An aesthetically pleasing course.
Cameron Davids
03 January 2022
It had been raining before I teed off, but I was nevertheless surprised to find the course virtually deserted on a public holiday. I enjoyed playing Euphoria, beautifully lush and in outstanding condition. The rough was on the thick side, and the fairways narrow on some holes. A different type of bushveld layout to the nearby Matkovich courses at Elements and Zebula, relatively flat, yet slightly more challenging when it comes to scoring. It has some vast greens with gentle slopes and run-off areas, and is well bunkered both greenside and fairways. It plays long without much run so I chose the blue tees (5945m) and it was a sensible choice. The white tees are 600 metres longer and you need big drives to cope because the par 4s ain't short, especially to back pins on raised greens. Golf carts are essential with the long distances between holes, and the cartpath provides a perfect ride. A memorable and tranquil bushveld experience, with each hole in its own remote space, gorges to cross over, and some magnificent trees, notably the pair guarding the right side of the ninth.
Stuart McLean
17 December 2021
Interesting links feel to the course with undulating fairways. There are many bunkers ready to catch tee shots and approaches to the greens. The greens are large and in great condition. The course requires a golf cart as there are very long walks between holes.
Amy Laird
24 December 2020
Gem of a course that has a links feel with formidable bunkers. I was impressed with the undulating and well-conditioned greens that were a delight to putt on.
Tara Swart
24 December 2020
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