Photo by Wikimedia Commons, CC by 2.5
We know about Augusta, we know about St. Andrews, but what about some of the most unconventional golf courses in the world? There are many golf courses around the world where the unexpected is the norm.
Here are some of the strangest golf courses you can visit if you want a golfing experience out of the ordinary.
La Jenny, France
Sometimes golfers, particularly in bad weather, get frustrated with a lack of mobility when wrapped up in several layers of clothing. Swinging freely is difficult with two jumpers on.
Well, those who tee up at La Jenny in France have no such concerns – it is the only known course that runs through a naturist setting. Nudity is mandatory here, exceptions are only made for adverse weather conditions.
If you fancy some naked golf, head to La Jenny – a club which never runs out of balls.
Furnace Creek, USA
Clothes must be worn at Furnace Creek, even though most of the players would love to strip off and cool down.
The layout is in Death Valley, California, where in the peak of the summer, temperatures can reach 55 Celsius, baking anyone brave enough to step on to the fairways.
It is the lowest altitude course in the world and is safest to tackle in the winter. The surface temperature at Death Valley once hit 93.9C.
Kantarat Golf Course, Bangkok, Thailand
Most golfers like a bit of peace and quiet when they take a swing, which is why stewards at professional events hold up signs reminding spectators to stay quiet.
So it’s no surprise that Kantarat Golf Course in Bangkok doesn’t host any Tour events, where players must somehow ignore the thunderous noise of airliners landing and taking off just yards away on either side.
The 18-hole, par-72 course sits right between the runways of Don Mueang International — the oldest operating airport in Asia. For some reason, the Royal Thai Air Force believed it would be a good idea to make a golf course sandwiched between a pair of noisy airways in 1952.
The pricing, however, is quite cheap. A weekday round for visitors costs 300 Baht — roughly £6.92 — a bargain for those who don’t mind the overhead disturbance.
Coober Pedy Opal Fields, Australia
Much is being made lately about how eco-unfriendly golf courses are – requiring gallons of water to survive – but Coober Pedy Opal Fields is not causing any problems. Why? Because it has no grass.
The course is essentially one big bunker, but extremely playable.
The hard desert turf gives the ball plenty of roll, and the ‘greens’, made of oiled sand, are smoother than you’d think. Who knows, maybe the future of golf doesn’t need grass at all.
Merapi Golf Course, Indonesia
Golfers often get scared on the course, lining up a shot over a water hazard or stroking a key putt towards the cup, but players need to head for Merapi GC for the ultimate fright.
Merapi is located right next to an active volcano. In 2006, 2010 and 2018, the volcano erupted, and for more than 300 days a year smoke can be seen emerging from Mount Merapi.
Even Keegan Bradley might speed up going down the stretch with red-hot lava about to spurt over his slacks.
Leopard Creek, South Africa
The professional circuits obviously stay away from the quirkiest courses. After all, Tour players tend to moan if a piece of grass is out of place on the green, let alone if the locker room is drenched in volcanic lava.
Leopard Creek in South Africa is the final entry in our list of strange golf courses. It’s significantly different from the other courses we mentioned though, since it hosts the annual Alfred Dunhill Championship on the DP World Tour.
The course gets its name from the leopards you would see roaming around, but they are not the only glimpse of wildlife you will see. Crocodiles, elephants, hippos, and giraffes are regularly seen nearby.
It is not easy for players to concentrate on their boring old golf ball.
