I’ve stood on the remarkable 13th green many times overlooking the Crocodile River and Kruger Park, and struck lucky with the wildlife sighting on my latest visit. Below me was a young bull elephant on its own on the edge of the river. Close by a crocodile sunning itself on the bank, while there were several snorting hippo in one of the pools. Where else in the golfing world could you experience that sight from such a distinctive vantage point? Leopard Creek had just held its club championships on the last weekend of April, with an impressive entry of about 120. The greens were slightly slower than usual, due to an extensive scarifying programme in January, which for me seemed a perfect pace. The winning score for 36 holes was still 10-over-par. This is an exacting test of golfing skills.
