{"id":64531,"date":"2020-02-25T21:11:56","date_gmt":"2020-02-26T02:11:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awesomejelly.com\/?p=64531"},"modified":"2020-03-30T09:44:15","modified_gmt":"2020-03-30T13:44:15","slug":"the-most-bizarre-and-unconventional-golf-courses-in-the-world-t2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awesomejelly.com\/the-most-bizarre-and-unconventional-golf-courses-in-the-world-t2\/","title":{"rendered":"27 Of The Most Bizarre And Unconventional Golf Courses In The World"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Source: https:\/\/www.thunderbird-asia.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Considered as the most expensive sport to play, golf has still risen in popularity over the years across players of all ages. Casual fans may be more familiar with the players rather than the courses, with the likes of Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer elevating the sport to new heights. There are almost 40,000 golf courses in the world, with some of the best being designed by the best players in history. However, not all golf courses are created equally, and a lot of them can be found in less than ideal locations, presenting its own unique characteristics. Whether located in the desert, ice, mountain, areas of conflict, or urban jungle, some of them are not what you would call your typical golf course.<\/h6>\n
These are some of the most bizarre, unconventional, dangerous, and weirdest golf courses that only those with a true love for the game, the really adventurous, and with a taste for a unique experience play in.<\/strong>
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Camp Bonifas (Gyeonggi-do, South Korea)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/thrillist.com<\/p><\/div>\n

The Korean War divided the country into North and South, where perhaps the most dangerous golf course in the world is located. The golf course in Camp Bonifas, formerly Camp Kitty Hawk, is located just 400 meters south of the Korean demilitarized zone. Constructed by a group of soldiers in 1972, there was only room for one hole, with the green surrounded on three sides by live minefields. The 192-yard par 3 course not only features man-made hazards, but also comes with some dangerous wildlife like spotted wild boars and Korean tigers, according to the soldiers. Though the minefield is separated by an 18-foot high security fence, there is still the prospect of an exploding golf ball.
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Uummannaq, Greenland<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/cdn.allsquaregolf.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Definitely one of the most unusual and extreme golf courses in the world is the Uummannaq Golf Course in Greenland, home of the World Ice Golf Championship since 1999. Players in this 36-hole, 2-day tournament will have to contend with temperatures as low as -50\u00b0C, which is an ideal setting if you want to get hypothermia. The course changes each year, depending on the weather, with icebergs considered a part of the course, the greens called \u201cwhites,\u201d and the hazards include seal dens and crevasses. Brightly colored balls are used, which can sometimes be stolen by penguins. Clubs with graphite shafts are not recommended as they can shatter due to low temperatures. Players are taught how to spot frostbite, and in case you need a ride, you can always hop on a dog sled, which the winner uses to celebrate the victory.
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Prison View Golf Course (Louisiana, USA)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/mediad.publicbroadcasting.net<\/p><\/div>\n

The Prison View Golf Course is a public golf course located inside a maximum-security prison, the historic Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, Louisiana, also called the Alcatraz of the South. Opened in 2004, the nine-hole course with tee markers in the shape of handcuffs is the only one of its kind in the U.S. It was designed by Dr. John Ory, the prison dentist who taught himself how to create one using a book from Barnes and Noble, and was built on the former bull pasture by a 33-man team made up of veteran prisoners with a history of good behavior. Needless to say, security is very tight, with players needing to go through a full background check before being cleared to play, and must not be in the visiting list of any inmate.
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Legends Golf and Safari (Limpopo Province, South Africa)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/i.insider.com<\/p><\/div>\n

The longest golf course in Africa at almost 8,500 yards, the Legends Golf and Safari Resort features an 18-hole, Championship golf course as well as a chance to experience Africa\u2019s supreme wildlife up close. Located at the Entabeni Safari Conservancy in the Limpopo province of South Africa, you can see herds of zebra, antelope, and giraffe roaming the fairways but lions and leopards are not far behind. Legends is more famously known for it\u2019s \u201c19th\u201d hole, which is considered the most extreme and toughest par 3 in the world. The tee box sits atop Hanglip Mountain 1,300 feet above the green, which is only accessible by helicopter. It is so high that it takes the ball about 20 seconds to reach the ground.
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Kantarat Golf Course (Bangkok, Thailand)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/blogspot.com<\/p><\/div>\n

The only golf course in the world that is located inside an airport, the Kantarat Golf Course sits between two runways at the Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok. Golfers tee off in this 18-hole course, which is mostly straight, just 20 yards away from the passenger jets. The first nine run parallel to the take-off runway, with planes taking off presenting the biggest distraction due to its noise. Security is pretty tight here, with guests having to go through a metal detector and having their bags scanned, and video and photography inside is prohibited. Though not the most challenging course, golfers need to make the ball fly straight as it can hit airplanes if it slices off.
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Skukuza Golf Course (Kruger National Park, South Africa)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/www.traveller.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Said to be the \u201cwildest game\u201d you will ever play, the Skukuza Golf Course was established in 1972 and is located inside Kruger National Park, which is about 500 kilometers northeast of Johannesburg. This nine-hole, 18-tee 72 par course is unfenced, which means you can likely share the fairway with the Big Five, a variety of birds and animals which include lions, leopards, buffalos, impalas, elephants, cheetahs, hyenas, and of course, crocodiles. The course employs a staff to keep an eye out for these wild animals and so far, no one has reported to have been attacked by these wild animals. But you still have to sign a waiver or an indemnity form.
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Pyongyang Golf Course (Pyongyang, North Korea)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/allsquaregolf.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Built in 1987 from a Japanese design to commemorate the 75th birthday of Kim Il-Sung, former North Korean leader, the Pyongyang Golf Course is an 18-hole par 72 course sitting along the banks of Taicheng Lake and is said to be the \u201cworld\u2019s most exclusive golf course,\u201d and is the only golf course in North Korea. If you are bold, or crazy enough, to step foot in the country to play a round of golf here, don\u2019t bother bringing your clubs as you can only rent them. The most famous story about the course is when current \u201cDear Leader\u201d Kim Jong-un\u2019s father, Kim Jong-Il, played his first and only round in 1994 and set the course, or world record, for scoring a 34-under 38, courtesy of 11 holes-in-one.
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Mission Hills (Guanlan, China)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/site.rockbottomgolf.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Sitting in the town of Guanlan, which is located between Shenzhen and Dongguan, is the world\u2019s largest golf club, Mission Hills. It has 11 18-hole championship golf courses and one other 18-hole par 3 course. Courses were designed by renowned golfers like Greg Norman, Annika Sorest, Nick Faldo, and Vijay Singh, among many others. It also features the craziest putting green, which swims in a bowl of noodles complete with chopsticks, a replica of the Great Wall of China posing as a hazard, the Mayan ruins, and a panda-themed hole in addition to industrial fans that blow strong winds at the golfer, and The Volcano, which gives the golfer a choice between going for the green or shooting for its mouth.
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Coober Pedy Opal Fields Golf Club (Coober Pedy, Australia)\u0016<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/media.mnn.com<\/p><\/div>\n

About 850 kilometers north of Adelaide sits Coober Pedy, an opal mining town that is also called the \u201cunderground town\u201d as most of its residents live, well, under the ground. It features the Coober Pedy Opal Fields Golf Club, whose 18-hole course opened in 1996 and where the fairways don\u2019t have a single blade of grass. In fact, you can find a sign on the course that says \u201ckeep off grass.\u201d The fairways are maintained by spreading local white sandstone on rough areas, and the greens, called scrapes, are made of local quarry dust mixed with waste oil. Tee time for its members include twilight golf on Fridays during summer as well as a number of night golf sessions the rest of the year.
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One Boat Golf Club (Ascension Island)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/blogspot.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Located south of the equator in the South Atlantic Ocean and part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Ascension Island is a volcanic island that is home to One Boat Golf Club, where an 18-hole (par 67) course is dubbed by its own government as the worst golf course in the world. Here, the greens are called \u201cbrowns,\u201d as they are made of crushed compacted lava and beach sand that have been smoothed flat with diesel oil. Volcanic emissions can be seen on the edges of the fairways, which are marked by large boulders of volcanic rock, and to make sure that the course has a stable playing surface, oil is applied to the browns every few months.
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Elephant Hill Golf Course (Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/googleusercontent.com<\/p><\/div>\n

The only golf course in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, the Elephant Hills Golf Course is inside the Elephant Hills Resort located on a small hill overlooking the Zambezi River. The 18-hole championship golf course was designed by Gary Player but chances are you\u2019ll see more wildlife such as impalas, baboons, waterbucks, guinea fowl, and warthogs rather than golfers. Mugabe may have stepped down as president a couple of years ago but the course still bears the marks of the conflict that has ravaged the nation during his reign. The greens keeper at the country club has to contend with craters caused by mortar fire across the river.
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Lost City Golf Course (Sun City, South Africa)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/www.thetravellinggolfer.com<\/p><\/div>\n

First opened in 1993 and designed by Gary Player, winner of nine major championships on both the regular and Champions Tour, the Lost City Golf Course in Sun City, South Africa impresses with its exotic desert design but is also known for the infamous 13th hole, also called the \u201cwatering hole\u201d or \u201ccrocodile hole\u201d as it contains more than 30 Nile crocodiles waiting for unsuspecting golfers who will make the mistake of retrieving their ball. However, the 72-par course does have a sign that warns people not to approach or enter the crocodile pond as Sun City will not be held liable for anything untoward that may happen.
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Nullarbor Links (Eyre Highway, Australia)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/media.golfdigest.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Called the world\u2019s longest golf course, stretching 1,365 kilometers from Ceduna in South Australia to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, the Nullarbor Links has a wild and unique concept borne out of a night with perhaps too much wine between Alf Caputo and Bob Bongiorno in hopes of attracting tourists. The 18-hole par 72 course is spread out in each town or roadhouse that you will pass as you drive by Eyre Highway. Given the terrain, there is no shortage of wildlife such as kangaroos, camels, emus, and wedge-tailed eagles. The fourth hole even features one of the most venomous snakes in Australia, the death adder, while the \u201cNullarbor Nymph\u201d is said to be roaming in the wild in Eucla, right on the border of West and South Australia.
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La Jenny Golf Course (Aquitaine, France)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/loveincorporated.net<\/p><\/div>\n

The first and only naturist golf course in the world, the La Jenny Golf Course in Le Porge, France offers a truly unique, if not bizarre, experience. The six-hole par 20 course is set in a naturist resort at the Atlantic coast near Bordeaux and first opened in 1993. It must be nice not to think about golf apparels for a change as you won\u2019t be allowed to play if you\u2019re not in your natural state, aka naked. Guests need not worry as the resort does not condone any sexual activities, engaging in which will get you booted out. Sunburn, however, is a different thing, so having enough sunscreen to last the game is a must.
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Kabul Golf Club (Afghanistan)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/www.thephuketnews.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Located just outside war-torn Afghanistan\u2019s capital, in the barren mountains near Lake Qargha, is the world\u2019s least played golf course, the Kabul Golf Club. This nine-hole course first opened in 1967 and has endured its fair share of conflicts, turning it from a battlefield, to a minefield, and at present, a playing field where an AK-47 is just as ubiquitous as golf clubs. The course features scorched and patchy grass, with the greens called \u201cbrowns\u201d as they are made of compact brown sand mixed with oil, and it\u2019s just as sensible, if not more practical, to bring a private military escort rather than a caddie.
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Cholla Course At We-Ko-Pa Golf Club (Scottsdale, Arizona)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/www.golfpunkhq.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Designed by architect Scott Miller, who has designed more than 75 golf courses, including the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course in Idaho, the Cholla Course at We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in the desert of Arizona opened in late 2001, catering to the more adventurous golfers. The 72-par award-winning course boasts of amazing views of the mountains but with its desert setting, golfers need not only contend with the stifling heat during summer, but also with desert dwellers like the rattlesnake and the notorious Cholla cacti, also known as the jumping cholla which can painfully sting you as the joint attachments are loose and can easily attach itself even at the slightest brush.
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Merapi Golf Course (Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/media.mnn.com<\/p><\/div>\n

If you\u2019re ready to rumble, or rather, get rumbled as you tee off, then the Merapi Golf Course is the right place for you. Located at the base of Mount Merapi, Indonesia\u2019s most active volcano which have small eruptions every two to three years and larger ones every 10 to 15 years, this 18-hole par 72 course designed by Thomson, Wolveridge & Perret is just half an hour from the city of Yogyakarta and about 800 meters above sea level. As such, it offers stunning views but the smoke billowing from the volcano almost year-round is a grim reminder of what can happen, with the last eruption in 2010 claiming more than 350 lives. If you find yourself trembling while trying to make an important shot, it may not always be the jitters.
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La Paz Country Club (Bolivia)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/thepointsoflife.boardingarea.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Sitting on the edge of a canyon and surrounded by the snowcapped Andes Mountains, the La Paz Golf Club is considered the world\u2019s highest golf course. The current 18-hole par 71 course built in 1948, at more than 3,400 meters above sea level will literally take your breath away, with the 12th hole or \u201cMoon Hole\u201d serving as the main feature of the course with its surrounding rocky outcrops. Headache and nausea caused by altitude sickness is a real possibility for those who fail to acclimatize themselves before engaging in a grueling round of golf. However, the thin air also allows you to drive further and straighter and the course has knowledgeable caddies who can guide especially in selecting clubs.
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Coeur D\u2019Alene Golf Resort (Idaho, USA)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/brightspot.com<\/p><\/div>\n

One of Scott Miller\u2019s masterful creations, the Coeur D\u2019Alene Golf Resort in Idaho features an 18-hole par 71 course once called America\u2019s \u201cmost beautiful golf course\u201d with its breathtaking lake views from almost every hole. It is most famous for its 14th hole \u2013 The Floating Green, which is the first and only floating, and movable island green made possible by an underwater cable system. Measuring 15,000-square feet and weighing about 5 million pounds, the par 3 hole can be moved from 90 yards for the ladies, up to 220 yards for the championship tees. Golfers have two chances to make the green and are then taken there by ferry.
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Firestone Overseas Golf Club (Harbel, Margibi County, Liberia)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/i.pinimg.com<\/p><\/div>\n

A nine-hole course situated in the Firestone rubber plantation in Harbel, Margibi County, the Firestone Overseas Golf Club is one of two golf courses just outside the Liberian capital of Monrovia. Since maintaining golf courses are incredibly expensive, the fairways here are treated like roughs, and the greens are referred to as \u201cbrowns,\u201d which is a combination of oil, sand, and iron ore. The Firestone plantation, considered the largest contiguous rubber plantation in the world at over 250 square miles, served as a battlefield during the civil war in the early 90s, with expats in the plantation recognizing several guerillas who worked as caddies at the golf course.
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Pelham Bay Golf Course (Bronx, New York)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/assets.hole19golf.com<\/p><\/div>\n

The history of this golf course, or rather where it is located, is quite creepy. Located in Pelham Bay Park in Bronx, New York, the Pelham Bay Golf Course started out as the 9-hole Pell Golf Links in 1901 before being redesigned by John Van Kleek in 1936 and renamed as Pelham. This bit of history is not the sinister part, though, as Pelham Bay Park is said to be a popular dumping ground for dead bodies, with more than 60 bodies discovered between 1986 to 1995, with a number of them being mob-related, as evidenced by missing fingers, while others were identified with gang violence. The 2,700-acre park was considered a perfect dumping ground due to its size, with some bodies found floating in the water or covered with blankets.
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Hans Merensky Golf Course (Limpopo Province, South Africa)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/i.pinimg.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Once part of Kruger National Park, the Hans Merensky Golf Course designed by Bob Grimsdell is now separated by a fence from the wildlife reserve. However, this doesn\u2019t mean that you won\u2019t encounter wild animals as evidenced by the scorecard, which includes the line, \u201cplay at your own risk.\u201d The 18-hole par 72 course is situated in the Valley of the Elephants, with water hazards made more exciting by crocodiles and hippos, which are some of the most lethal animals in the continent. Throw in the usual mix of leopards, giraffes, warthogs, water buffalos, monkeys, impalas, cheetahs, and elephants, among many others, then you have your golf and safari rolled into one.
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Carbrook Golf Club (Brisbane, Australia)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/www.golfchannel.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Known in the golfing circles as the \u201cfriendly club,\u201d the Carbrook Golf Club in Logan, south of Brisbane, Australia, the 18-hole par 71 course has played host to many significant events since being completely rebuilt in 1992. Wondering why there is a fin on the logo of the club\u2019s website? That\u2019s because the waters aren\u2019t so friendly courtesy of no less than half a dozen bull sharks which have made the lake its home for more than 20 years now due to the flooding caused by a heavy storm. The man-eating sharks, with some measuring around 3 meters in length, have made the course famous, and the staff less inclined to retrieve balls from the lake.
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Compton Par 3 Course (Los Angeles, California)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/www.bunkered.co.uk<\/p><\/div>\n

Designed by John Hilborn and opened in 1958, the Compton Par 3 Golf Course is located at heart of Compton, California, where the crime rate is almost twice the national average, and gang activity is not at all uncommon, with the notorious Bloods and Crips gangs turf rivalry going back decades, and occasionally making their presence known through gunfire. However, you won\u2019t see any gang colors inside the 9-hole course as these are not allowed, so you wouldn\u2019t exactly know who\u2019s who. Don\u2019t be surprised if there are no local tournaments being held at this course.
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Royal Colombo Golf Club (Western Province, Sri Lanka)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/www.karlaroundtheworld.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Built in 1879, the Royal Colombo Golf Club is the oldest golf club in Sri Lanka. Located in the capital city of Colombo, this 18-hole par 71 course is unique in that an active trail line crosses over some of the holes in the course, passing behind tee eight, and even crosses in front of green six. You would think that this can be very distracting, with trains passing by every 15 or 20 minutes on weekdays, but it is said that the railways give the course it\u2019s very identity. The course is quite challenging, with well-placed water hazards, but don\u2019t worry as there are locals who can dive for your ball in case you need it for a small price.
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Crossed Swords Golf Course (Baghdad, Iraq)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/static01.nyt.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Nestled inside the Green Zone in Baghdad is the Crossed Swords Golf Course, the only golf course in Baghdad. Created in 2007 by a British military officer, the nine-hole course is closed in by the 15-foot concrete blast walls, and sending the ball over them means a lost ball. The greens are called browns because they\u2019re made of dirt, and the holes are made from baked bean cans sunk into the ground. The course includes real bunkers, of course, and gunfire and helicopters passing above is a regular occurrence. The tee box in the 5th hole is located behind an actual fox hole, and players are only allowed two clubs, a putter and either a short iron or a pitching wedge.
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Furnace Creek Golf Course (California, USA)<\/h2>\n
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Source: https:\/\/thegolfnewsnet.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Sitting near the border of California and Nevada is Death Valley, home of the Furnace Creek Golf Course, an 18-hole par 70 course which at 214 feet below sea level, makes it the lowest elevation golf course in the world. Temperatures in the aptly named course can get so high in the summer, reaching 130\u00b0F, that you limit your movement as much as possible, especially the practice strokes, which is considered the main reason for heatstroke here, hence the name of the tournament, Heatstroke Open. Braving it will earn you a certificate and a T-shirt, if not an actual heatstroke. Golfers would normally avoid the water hazards but you may just find yourself jumping in one of them because of the heat.<\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Considered as the most expensive sport to play, golf has still risen in popularity over the years across players of all ages. Casual fans may be more familiar with the players rather than the courses, with the likes of Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer elevating the sport to new heights. There are almost 40,000 golf courses in the world, with some of the best being designed by the best players in history. However, not all golf courses are created equally, and a lot of them can be found in less than ideal locations, presenting its own unique characteristics. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":64495,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6599],"tags":[918,927,483,23839,6349,23840],"yst_prominent_words":[23837,23834,23826,23830,23825,23828,23824,9763,23827,12186,23822,12651,23823,23832,23833,23836,23831,23829,23835,8811],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/awesomejelly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64531"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/awesomejelly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/awesomejelly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awesomejelly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awesomejelly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64531"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/awesomejelly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64531\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awesomejelly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/awesomejelly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awesomejelly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awesomejelly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64531"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awesomejelly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=64531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}