Extreme golf: million dollar Par 3

Forget pitch and putt - this tee-off point on top of a 430m mountain in South Africa is the hardest golf shot in the world, and more than $US1 million awaits the player who can score a hole in one.

Players take a helicopter to the top to play the longest - and highest - par three on the planet. Taking the shot also requires courage - a player needs to teeter terrifyingly close to the edge of the mammoth hillside.

Indeed, the Extreme 19th Hole is so high the ball takes almost 30 seconds to reach the ground. Channel Nine cricket commentator Mark Nicholas recently joined an elite list to have the shot in just three swings. "It was awesome, riveting and phenomenal," he said. "It's like the end of the world when you get up there and it's an awful lot of fun.

"It's such an adrenalin rush taking the helicopter up and then rushing back down."

The hole is based at the Legends Golf and Safari Resort , within the Entabeni Safari Conservancy in South Africa's north-eastern Limpopo Province.  The other 18 holes were designed by world golfing legends including Trevor Immelman, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington and Australia's Robert Allenby.

A round of golf - including a buggy and lunch - will set you back R450 ($A70).  The Extreme 19th costs is R6700 ($A1060) per four ball, that includes helicopter ride, souvenir cap and glove and  a DVD of you playing the hole.

So far, no one has even come close pocketing the million-dollar prize, but Harrington became the first golfer to conquer the hole within par.

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.

"I think this hole is awesome - I love the whole experience, the helicopter, the views, the drama and having the green the shape of Africa. "And now I've got bragging rights over all the other professionals who have played this and not managed to make a three. I love everything about it."

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The uniqueness of Legend Golf and Safari Resort is reflected in the spectacular Extreme 19th hole which is the longest and most dramatic Par 3 in the world. Set high up on the impressive Hanglip Mountain and accessible only by helicopter, this par 3 hole is played from a vertical height of 430 metres.    After a short, breathtaking helicopter flight, golfers have the opportunity of teeing off from one of three tee boxes, high up on the escarpment.  With advanced technology in the form of four separate cameras and the latest tracking equipment, the golfer can follow and capture the tee shot and the flight of the ball. The fairway is seeded with Cynodon grass and contoured to funnel the ball to the green below.  In celebration of the African Renaissance, the green has been shaped like the map of Africa and is protected by a large waste bunker.  Golfers can choose to play this challenging hole in addition to their round of 18 holes, or as an experience on its own. Conceived by Graham Cooke of the UK, embraced by CEO, Peet Cilliers, and designed by David Riddle, the Extreme 19 is truly unique - an unforgettable golfing experience!

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