When you read that a course was designed by the Golden Bear, chances are you won’t be disappointed with its layout and this par 72 is no exception, as the landscape blends in beautifully and the challenges are numerous, especially on the water holes.
On the front 9, I like the long left dogleg par-5 3rd hole, slightly uphill all the way, with a big elongated waste area, filled with patches of grass in the corner, midway, and a tough third shot toward the green, with a big elongated pond in front of it (surrounded by some tiny bushes), the left dogleg par-4 4th, uphill all the way and with a tee shot over some wide dirt area, and the par-3 5th hole, with a blind tee shot over... some fans, deep rough, and a bunker, right behind some trees, in front of the green.
But my favorite holes on the front 9 are the right dogleg par-4 6th, slightly uphill all the way, with a big elongated lake splitting the fairway diagonally and over which you will have to hit your approach to reach the green, the gorgeous par-5 8th hole, of course, with a tee shot over the elongated lake, splitting the undulating fairway again, and requiring a long and blind second shot in the direction of the slightly-elevated island green, and the par-3 9th, with a stream all along on the left side and ending a little bit past the green.
On the back 9, the par-3 12th hole looks nice with a big elongated waste area (with more grass in it) in front (and on the left) of the slightly-elevated and undulating green, just like the par-4 13th, with a blind tee shot over another waste area spreading all the way to the right and a slightly-elevated green.
Water comes back into play again on the pretty left dogleg par-4 14th hole, with a tee shot over a meandering lake, landing to the right, and a tough approach over it again to reach the green, and on the par-3 15th, with a blind tee shot over... more fans and the lake.
You will then head back the other way on the left dogleg par-5 16th hole, with a tee shot over that lake again landing on the right of the fairway, and a short third shot over it to reach the slightly-elevated green (with the flag very close to the water on the left), before finishing with the par-4 18th, slightly-uphill all along with an elongated lake on the left ending next to the green.
Very well designed, as usual by the CGX team, with a nice green panorama and a few and pretty isolated brick houses along the way, this Serengeti course is delightful to watch and play and another good one to keep in the (long) collection of CGX courses...

OK, kids, bring out your drivers for this one. It's a beautiful and wide-open course, receptive to the big ol' 350-yd bomb down the middle. There's nothing wrong with nice, narrow, tree-lined fairways and all sorts of elevation changes - I like them as much as the next golfer - but this one is a bit different. And yes, the par-5 eighth is a gem. Thank you, designers, for the excellent work and a very enjoyable experience. Five stars.