A Million Dollar Golf Shot

It has been dubbed the golfing equivalent of climbing Everest. This is the hole that has taken over the mantle of the world’s toughest.

From the top of a mountain in South Africa, players must hit a shot 400m over a near forest onto a green 400m below. If you manage to overcome vertigo tracking your ball through the air, looking to see where it landed requires a mountaineer’s bravery.And the gauntlet has been thrown down to the world’s best golfers: anyone who gets a hole-in-one will win an astonishing $1million (£671,000).

The Extreme 19th hole is part of the Legend Golf and Safari Resort at Entabeni in the Limpopo province in South Africa.

It’s so high that it takes the ball 30 seconds to reach the green. And you can forget golf carts – players willing to take their chances on the million-dollar prize have to take a helicopter to get there. It is both the longest and the highest par-three on the planet.

‘I think this hole is awesome,’ reigning Open champion Padraig Harrington said.

‘This is the type of innovation and excitement we need to get more people playing golf.

‘There aren’t many new innovative ways to play the game – but this is certainly one of the best.’

To launch the hole – which does not form part of the round – double Open champion Padraig Harrington and fellow pro Raphael Jacquelin, from France, were drafted in to give it their best shot.

Incredibly, they both managed to hit the green – but a hole in one was beyond even their illustrious reach.

See Padraig Harrington and Raphael Jacquelin tee off at the Extreme 19th hole here….

Thanks to the Daily Mail for this great story