Things to Do in Phakalane Golf Estate

Sunset loop on the championship course

The 18th green faces west, so the last putt happens in a copper light that turns the water hazards into liquid metal. Greens run fast - you'll feel the grain tug your ball - and the breeze carries the scent of freshly cut kikuyu grass mixed with wild sage from the rough. Keep an eye out for the resident fish eagles that circle the dam between holes 7 and 8; their call echoes off the clubhouse tin roof like a referee's whistle.

Cycle the estate perimeter trail

A 7-km packed-sand track skirts the fence, taking you past acacia thickets where hornbills clack overhead and the smell of hot eucalyptus drifts from backyard gardens. You'll pass the odd warthog family trotting single-file and hear the satisfying crunch of tires on crushed quartz. Sunrise is best - the dust turns rose-gold and the sprinklers haven't yet soaked the path.

Poolside brunch at the clubhouse

Order the peppered fillet sandwich and watch caddies rinse golf balls in wire baskets - the water sluices off in silver arcs. There's a faint chlorine tang, cut by the sweet smell of grilled pineapple from the chef's station. Spoon-thick milkshakes arrive in frosted steel cups that leave condensation rings on the wooden table while vervet monkeys eye your fries from the thatch rafters.

Night-time stargazing on the 10th fairway

The estate kills the floodlights at 22:00, leaving a sky so dark you can see the Magellanic Clouds reflected in the bunker sand. Lie back on a towel and you'll hear the distant hum of the Gaborone motorway mixed with the soft thud of fruit bats landing in the marula trees. Bring a thermos of bush tea - the steam fogs your glasses while the Milky Way spills across the sky like spilled sugar.

Spa afternoon at the estate wellness centre

The treatment rooms open onto a small fishpond where water lilies drip from a copper spout, sounding like a metronome. Shea butter and rooibos oil warm in ceramic bowls, releasing a nutty aroma that mingles with the cool scent of aloe from the gardens. After a deep-tissue massage you'll sit in the outdoor shower while guinea fowl mutter in the bougainvillea - the water pressure is surprisingly strong, almost like standing under a Victoria Falls spray in miniature.

Fairway Villas - low-rise units set back from the 15th fairway where sprinkler mist catches sunrise light

The Estate Hotel - main clubhouse wing with balconies overlooking the practice green and bar fridge stocked with local St Louis beer

Lodges along Marula Drive - self-catering houses that back onto the wildlife corridor, so you might wake to warthogs on the lawn

Guest houses on Sand Drive - smaller, cheaper rooms above garages where estate workers live, surprisingly quiet and pool access is included

Executive suites near the driving range - modern blocks with rooftop braai areas and 24-hour security patrols every 30 minutes

Boutique B&B on Copper Leaf Lane - only four rooms, each named after a Botswana bird and decorated with weaver-basket wall plates