Golf – the beautiful game – played in locations from the bizarre to the afar… See our round up of eight unusual golf courses…
The Arabian Ranches Golf Club, Dubai
The Arabian Ranches Golf Club was designed in association with Nicklaus Design by Ian Baker-Finch. It is an 18 hole, 72 par course in the middle of the desert. The links are like emeralds set in the golden sand and indigenous bushes and shrubs. It offers a challenge for every level of golfer.
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Uummannaq, Greenland
This course offers ice golf at its best. It is the place where the World Ice Golf Championship is held. The framework of the course is determined every year by the weather and is laid out every March according to the position if icebergs in the fjord. It is nine holes, par 35. There are a few different rules considering the terrain, but competition is in accordance with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews 2000. The green is white and the ball is red, but other than that, it is played like traditional golf.
The King’s Course – Gleneagles, Scotland
A venerable classic in the golfing world, The King’s Course at Gleneagles has tested the aristocracy of golf since 1919. Stately and regally-named on first appearance, beneath the surface you’ll find some of the most bizarrely-named holes around. Described as “evocative and pithy” in the local Scots language, names include “Blink Bonnie”, “Heich o’Fash” and “Wee Bogle”.
Nullarbor Links, Australia
The Nullarbor links is the longest in the world at 850 miles long. It is an 18-hole, par-72 course with a hole in each town that participates along the Eyre Highway. It stretches from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to Ceduna in South Australia. It is, on the average, 50 miles distance between each hole.
Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course, Idaho, USA
The fourteenth hole of the oeur d’Alene Golf Course is a floating island in the middle of Lake Coeur d’Alene. After golfers get their ball on the green, they take a Putter Boat shuttle to finish the play. Ranked as the number 11 resort golf course in the country, it was also ranked as the number one for beauty and aesthetics by Golf Digest. It is a par-71 course.
Camp Bonifas, South Korea
Camp Bonifas Golf Course is considered the most dangerous golf course in the world by a Sports Illustrated reporter. It is bordered on three sides by minefields. It is not recommended to chase balls into the rough. It is a one hole, par three course, so players don’t spend much time in the danger zone.
La Paz Golf Club, Bolivia
At 10,650 feet, La Paz Golf Club is the highest golf course in the world. Players need to get used to the altitude before they start playing. Some comment that balls fly higher and go straighter in the thin, clear air. The landscape has been called lunar because of the eroded sandstone cliffs, but there are snow-capped peaks in the background and condors watching every move.
So there you have it. Quite a selection we’re sure you’ll agree?! If you have any awe-inspiring golfing tales from breathtaking courses you have visited please share in the comments below – we’d love to hear all about them.