Grand Finale at the Capital

Biv, Paul and Meredith with Capital club house in the background

There was a special prize for those of us lucky enough to finish in the top 3 of the tour competition. Paul promised those on the podium a game at the exclusive and very private Capital Golf Club in Melbourne. It took a bit to settle on a date since we are back with our busy lives… but on 1^st December Paul delivered on his promise. The lucky ones to go with him were 3 girls (go girls!!!) – Fiona, Meredith and me (Biv).

The capital is absolutely stunning! The entrance resembles the famous Magnolia Drive at Augusta National with the club sitting proud at the end of a road framed by beautiful trees.  We had the golf course and practice facilities entirely for ourselves and so we decided to make the most of it! After a bit of practice we hit the fairways at our leisure. The golf carts were equipped with a handy GPS system and loaded with drinks! The golf course has some fantastic holes and few of them had similar features to The Links at Fancourt. Fiona would’ve probably been the winner on the day but we had decided to just have a friendly one!

Was Fi excited or what?

Trying to follow a good South African tradition, a big meal also accompanied the game…only we had it at the end of the round and not half way like they do! Much easier to play the back nine without a full belly! The meal was a huge and delicious steak sandwich in the well decorated and impeccable club house…very enjoyable!

This game really concludes our 2010 Golf’n’Safari adventure…ohhh…wait…what about the boys vs girls rematch??? Oh well, maybe such a great trip really has no end!

 

Signature hole at The Capital Golf Club

An unforgettable day, an unforgettable tour!

Farewell group photo al Lukimbi

Our great tour came to an end today but not without some undesirable drama which thought us many lessons about life! We started our drive to J’burg this morning after a quick game drive and breakfast. Making good time we were all excited to get to our final destination – the 5 Star Michelangelo Hotel in Nelson Mandela Square.
A couple of hours outside J’burg a loud noise took everyone by surprise before we realised there was a hole on the bus windscreen. Under very unfortunate circumstances a metal bolt came loose from a truck or bus in front of us and went through our bus like a missile. Amazingly, the bolt passed right through the bus missing most of the group but injuring Deidre and Roni. As someone said “it was good bad luck” since the injuries weren’t too severe and we had 3 excellent doctors in the bus. They not only attended these brave ladies, who remained strong during the whole time, but also kept the rest of us calm. Greg and our wonderful driver, Julius, coordinated the emergency services and they were fantastic with paramedics and police arriving in no time. Fortunately, the injuries weren’t too severe and we were all able to continue our journey. The group’s behaviour was something I’ll never forget. Everyone assumed a role without interfering with others, even if that meant just staying away altogether to let the other ones do their jobs. Julius, our lovely driver, was pretty shaken after experiencing an incident he had never seen before.

After some rest in the rooms and reassurance that our friends were ok, the group decided to go ahead with the final dinner at the very famous Butcher Shop restaurant. Greg had initially cancelled it after the incident. We lost our private room, but the dinner was just as lovely with many of us being extremely emotional by realising how quickly things can change in life. It was a mix of emotions – relief that we were all ok and present, sad that the trip was over and excitement about the different golf winners.

Eddy congratulating Terry

With many golf prizes to present, we started with the Leopard Creek results. Eddy presented the Men’s Shark Cup  to one of his best mates, Terry (who had 36 points). Greg had decided a couple of days earlier to provide a perpetual trophy for the best lady player in one round of all future Global Golf group tours -  the girls then decided to call this trophy “The Julius Bolt Cup” in memory of our lovely driver and the infamous, harmful bolt! The inaugural “Julius Bolt Cup” was won by Meredith who had a fantastic 44 points on such a difficult course. Apart from the fame and riches she receives, Meredith also has the honour of designing the trophy!

Greg and Fi with Garden Route Runner Winner Paul

Even though Biv was ‘ineligible’ to win she had the best overall score and her performance was rewarded and recognised by the group in a very touching way and with a lovely prize. Paul, who started the tour in great form, easily won the “Garden Route Road Runner” trophy while Stephen S took out the “Game Park Guru” prize for the second half of the tour – this was a real blanket finish with 6 genuine contenders into the final day.

Game Park Guru - Stephen S

Meredith ‘stole’ the “Tour Champion” title from Paul on a count back – both with 309 points over the 9 rounds!  Her last day 44 points gained 13 on Paul and delivered a countback victory. Fiona’s performance was also very consistent during the whole tour and it wasn’t unrecognised - Paul has promised he will take the top 3 finishing players to The Capital – a very exclusive venue –  as a prize. The lucky ones to join Fiona are Meredith and Biv. Thank you Paul!

Fi and Greg with OVerall Winner Meredith

Many lovely and emotional comments were made about the trip and Eddy made very special mention of Greg, our “Nazi” Tour Director, who put in all the effort behind the scenes to make this tour so successful. Thanks a lot Greg for a job well done! A beautiful token of the group’s appreciation was also presented to him.

I guess that this report marks the conclusion of the tour that has, in many ways, affected our lives forever. Experiences like this don’t come along often - as tired as we are at the end I am sure we are all looking forward to seeing our families and pets back home, or simply continuing the trips for those who go on to different destinations. In any case, I know it won’t be long before we are reliving the many memories of this trip in our minds as well as with each other and our friends.

Presentation and last tour dinner

Something for everyone

Pack of wild dogs - really mean looking animals

Today there was choice of activities for the group. It was another day packed with action for those who chose to play the Skukuza Golf Course and a day of relaxation for those who decided to enjoy the facilities of the amazing Lukimbi Safari Lodge.

The trip to Skukuza started at 6:30 am and, after driving for about 1 1/2 hrs, the group arrived at this special golf course were wild animals are everywhere. As if the game of golf wasn’t enough to keep you on edge at all times, this 9 hole golf course keeps the adrenaline running though your body with “be aware” signs everywhere…”be aware of lions”, “be aware of rhinos” , etc…lucky no one had a real close encounter with them and the experience was, without a doubt, unforgettable for those who went. I believe that Impalas were nearly hit by errant golf balls from some of our players and fear set in when having to hit over lake where about 7 hippos live! Very hard trying to keep an eye on your ball and another one on the hippos! On the way back to the lodge the group also saw a lot of wild animal life.

Those of us who stayed at Lukimbi, had an early morning game drive where we saw a baby hyena with her mum. We also encountered a pack of wild dogs, which is very rare to see since there are only about 2 to 3 thousand left in existence. The hyenas don’t smell badly, they simply stink! And the wild dogs are very well known for being excellent hunters with a 90% conversion rate. Things went quiet for a while before we got a call from a ranger who had spotted lions eating a giraffe on the other side of the park, about 45 min away. We all got excited with the possibility to see them so our morning drive became the “Ferrari Safari” as Paul, one of the rangers, named it. Aaron, the other ranger, took us to the spot in no time and we saw these 2 lions that had eaten so much they couldn’t move!   

After a rest in the lovely rooms where from the baths and the toilets you can overlook the wild animals in the open space –don’t worry the cabins are so well designed they are totally private- we went to have some lunch in the main part of the lodge. Suddenly 7 or 8 elephants showed up to drink water from the creek that borders the lodge! The scene was unbelievable and we could see them so close we felt we could touch them! Watching them interact amongst themselves is fascinating with many of us speculating what their behaviour meant.  It was a real live show and we felt very privileged to be able to observe it.

The weather has been extremely cold which is unusual for this time of the year, especially considering last week temperatures reached 42 degrees. The animals tend to be a lot quieter at times like these and the evening game drive wasn’t as exciting for the entire group, although we still managed to see a baby owl, rhinos, kudus, a chameleon and even more elephants.

Tomorrow morning will be our last game drive in the morning and then we’ll be heading to Johannesburg (about 6 hr drive) where we will be saying our good byes to everyone. Good things don’t last long and it is already sad to think this fascinating experience in South Africa is about to end! Leaving Lukimbi is very sad too since the staff is extremely friendly and seem to enjoy what they do so much. I am sure some of the people in the group will be more heartbroken than others but, as Fiona and I always say, “What happens in Lukimbi stays in Lukimbi”.

Family of elephants at Lukimbi

Leopard Creek Golf Club - a special place!

LCGC Club House and 9th green

We had our final ‘official” golf round at Leopard Creek Golf Club today. This is still in today’s ranking the #1 course in South Africa and certainly the most exclusive. You may call it the “Augusta National” of South Africa. There was no time for an early morning game drive because our tee time was 9:30 am and it took us about 45 minutes to drive from Lukimbi to the golf club which is just out side the National Kruger Park. Not many things are easy when dealing with this super exclusive, super private club - at arrival we all had to sign indemnity forms since the course is very exposed to wild animal life and, even more dramatically, they do not take cash in the Proshop. We were welcomed by Derrick, the golf professional, who kindly gave us a complete tour of the club house and told us about the short history of the place. The golf club is owned by a multi-millionaire and he built it the place only 14 years ago. He decided he wanted the club house to look old - like the original and most traditional clubhouses in the world, and therefore all the furniture, colours, wall decorations, locker rooms and everything in general makes you feel as if you had jumped in a time machine that took you back 80 or 100 years. The club house over looks the 9^th and 18 greens, which are difficult holes where water comes into play when approaching the greens, especially 18^th, which is literally an island green. Pretty nice and challenging!

The owner also managed to get a huge collection of hickory clubs from Scotland. These are very nicely displayed in one of the rooms in the club house. They run little tournaments with these clubs every now and then but the lack of a sand iron in those old sets make it a bit hard to play the bunker shots! The one thing that wasn’t very appealing for many of us (animal lovers) was the heads of the animals hanging from many of the walls of the building. The club only has about 300 members and many of them are internationals. To be a member you must buy a property in the area, which is what golfers like Ernie Els, Gary Player and others have done.

The golf course is actually designed by Gary Player but has a massive Jack Nicklaus influence. There are statues of leopards that decorate every hole, and there were many different opinions within the group trying to figure out if they should at all be on the course or if they were even attractive…

The golf course is certainly challenging with water and creeks running amongst many of the holes. Whether it was because all the final prizes were to be decided after today’s round (and many players were still in contention), or just because you want to have your best game in places like this, the bottom line is that everyone was trying hard. The winners, however, will only be announced during presentations at the final tour dinner at the Butcher Shop in Johannesburg. 

During the famous “Half Way House” break - which is compulsory in many clubs in South Africa - we saw a Rhino standing in the river near by the club house and another later on the 13^th hole! Pretty cool! After the game and many shirts and hats bought in the Proshop, we went quickly back to Lukimbi for an afternoon game drive. This was, once again, was full of surprises with amazing animals and beautiful views. Dinner was lovely and we all went to bed with yet another early start tomorrow. 

View of the 'Half Way House' Rhino

The Kruger

Our first game drive...very exciting!

We said good bye to Sun City at 6 am this morning when we started our journey to Kruger National Park.  There is no easy way to get to this place but the challenge is worth it considering the rewards that await us. First of all, there will be the daily game drives in the mornings and evenings. However, we also can’t wait for our game at Leopard Creek, the current #1 course in South Africa. So, we drove for about 3 hrs to Johannesburg Airport where we caught a little plane that took us to Nelspruitt (40 min), where we jumped in mini buses that took us to the park in a further 90 minute drive.

Driving to Lukimbi, we saw the first animals along the road including giraffes, lots of impalas and birds of prey amongst others. A lovely lunch was prepared for us and it was, according to some, one of their favourite meals on tour – which says a lot considering the standard of the places where we have been in the past few days.

In the evening we went on safari for the first time and we were all like children in a lolly shop! Our knowledgeable drivers and spotters managed to locate a Rhino and her baby and we took great photos of them at a very close range.  We then saw a group of giraffes so large that someone counted 19 of them. Some of them were necking each other which is a sign of dominance amongst themselves, but the ritual seem to be more focussed towards some mating that was taking place too. It was nature at its best!

The weather has changed dramatically in this part of South Africa going from 42 degrees a couple of days ago to 20 degrees today. It was perfect for our traditional Boma Dinner though, which took place in a fabulous outdoor setting around the fire and the meal was very tasty. Time to prepare for golf tomorrow…Leopard Creek, the last game of the tour, is waiting for us and with many prizes up for grabs, I am sure everyone will be trying their best. 

Rhinos - mum and baby

Gary Player becomes even more popular with men!

The rematch!

So far we have played 9 rounds of golf. All were on quite different styles of courses and all of them well liked by the group in general - some more than others, though! Today, however, regardless of the score, everyone thought the course was fantastic and most people said they would like to play it again.  The course we played was the Gary Player Golf Club at Sun City - host of the Nedbank Challenge every year and where the most recognised and best golfers on the planet come to compete.

Even though we weren’t playing for big money like the Pros do, the challenge for everyone was like one of their “majors”! It was the much anticipated girls vs. boys rematch. With smart uniforms kindly arranged by tour organiser, Global Golf, the format was ‘best ball’ match play, meaning the best stableford score per hole would win. The pairs were carefully chosen by the Team Captains – Meredith and Paul. The line up for the photos shows behind every girl her opponent for the day, and those boys were more determined than ever to get us….and…they did, winning 4 out of the 7 matches! Well done to the guys! My only excuse for the girls’ performance is that we were very distracted - not only with the caddies’ sense of humour but also with all the animals we saw in the hills that frame the course, including elephants, zebras and wilderbeast.

Best score of the day was Eddy who had a fantastic score of 40 points putting him ahead of everybody in the “Game Park Guru” competition and making him gain positions in the overall. Congratulations Eddy!

It was again a hot day in this lovely part of South Africa and, being the last day at Sun City, people wanted to make the most of it. After the game some people went on safari and saw many of the animals we saw from the golf course but at much closer range. This safari was like an appetizer for what is coming up tomorrow when we move again and this time to the Kruger National Park. Others enjoyed a relaxing day in the hotel pools while drinking delicious Margaritas! Not a bad way to spend the rest of the day either! A group dinner in Santorini’s - one of the many restaurants the Sun City has to offer- finished off this full-on day.  Big moving day tomorrow and yes…early start again but I am sure it’ll be all worth it!

View of the 9th green on the Gary Player course

And then…there it was…Sun City!

Today's winners - Reg, Fi, Eddy and Meredith

Yesterday was a huge day - after golf and travelling all day we finally arrived at Sun City at nearly midnight. The sleepy ones woke up as we started to see what this place is all about – ostentaciousness, luxury, statues, chandeliers, marble –you name – it’s all here! After checking in, we staggered to our rooms (and I must mention that  elephant tusks decorate the elevators - surely they are not real!) . This morning's game was at one of the 2 championship courses Sun City has –The Lost City course. It was quite a contrast to the courses we have played so far. This course is Gary Player's version of a desert golf course. The course design is interesting and challenging from the get go, but the most challenging hole on the course is the Par 3 where the crocodile pit is! Seven of them live in that area and, believe me, you don’t want to try to retrieve your golf ball if you hit it there!

The team challenge was the infamous ‘pink’ ball comp. Only that this time we used a logo ball...but the torture was the same! 3 out of the 4 balls made the entire 18 holes and it was an unheard score of 42 points that won the competition. Not surprisingly, 2 of those  team members had 42 points each with Reg taking victory over Ed on a count back. Ed was the real winner because he gets a good amount points for the aggregate competition and only gets 2 strokes deducted from his handicap. Reg gets 4 strokes taken of him…and once again, just in time, for the girls vs. boys rematch…not very clever!

A well celebrated birthday also took place today. It was Stephen S’s birthday and we met at the Royal Suite (yes, the suite is bloody amazing!), kindly allocated to the Gilson’s by the hotel. We celebrated with nibbles, cake, champagne, and a taste of Fiona’s skills as a piano player (not bad at all!). We finished the day with a group dinner at one of the many restaurants in this absolutely massive complex only comparable to a “mini Vegas”.

A much earlier start tomorrow will see the girls and boys playing a "Ryder Cup-style" stableford match against each other. The captains are Paul and Meredith and the teams will be nicely uniformed in golf shirts and hats kindly offered to us by the resort.  Once again winning will be priceless!

View of the 18 hole with the Palace int he background