3 minute read
The Dangerous Game
GOLF IS NOT A contact sport. To the casual observer, the worst that could happen is a blister from ill-fitting shoes. People who’ve actually played the game know that back issues are an all-too-common result from years of golf, however.
Still, golf is not generally considered dangerous. Sure, there was the time my senior year in high school where a ball from a neighboring fairway narrowly missed my head. My playing partner and I both heard it whiz by—meaning it was way too close!
That same year, my buddy Aaron teed off and walked ahead of us before the last player in our foursome hit. That hacker (who shall remain nameless) topped his drive, and it began bouncing—harmlessly—toward Aaron. We yelled “FORE!” with way more energy than was needed. Stunned, he turned around, took a misstep, and fell into a shallow creek. I suppose he could’ve gotten hurt, but it was more damaging to his pride than anything else.
When it comes to dangerous courses … I suppose any that post signs to beware of rattlesnakes and alligators would qualify. When I played Wildfire Golf Club in Phoenix, Ariz., the starter told me to take a 5-iron with me when/if I walked into the waste area looking for a golf ball and warned me to NOT reach into any bushes. Excellent advice!
That said, when my playing partners and I saw a gator at Palmetto Dunes on Hilton Head Island, S.C., we ran toward it for a photo op! Probably not the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but few have accused me of being a genius.
On the surface, those courses weren’t dangerous, but nature could play a role.
How about the par 3, 14th hole at Coeur d’Alene Resort in Idaho? Golfers take a boat to putt on that floating green.
I guess the vessel could sink, which would be very dangerous if someone in the group can’t swim.
OK, that’s a stretch. For all I know, the water is waist deep.
It’s not easy to convince someone that golf is a dangerous sport. But I’m writing this with a PR pitch I recently received (from a car rental business, actually) in mind. In the e-mail, I was told about Kabul Golf Club in Afghanistan. This nine-hole track survived the war and the murder of one of its founders.
Camp Bonifas is located in the DMZ between North and South Korea. The onehole, par 3 course is flanked by military bunkers and is littered with unexploded mines in the rough. If you miss the green, it’s best to declare your ball lost.
Merapi Golf Course is situated at the foot of an active volcano in Indonesia. Eruptions happen every two to three years. You’d be forgiven if you chose not to finish your round.
At Uummannaq in Greenland, players often tee up in minus-50-degree temperatures at this ice course set 600km north of the arctic circle. Frostbite is a very real danger if you forget to pack the right attire.
On the opposite end of the spectrum—and closer to home—Furnace Creek Golf Course at Death Valley (Calif.) is located 214 feet below sea level and hardcore gofers can expect 130-degree temperatures in the summer.
Prison View Golf Course is situated on the grounds of the Louisiana State Penitentiary in St. Francisville, La. If you want to play in the shadow of what is commonly considered to be the “bloodiest prison in America,” you’ll need to submit to background checks as well as have your car searched when entering and leaving the club.
Lastly, if you think of your game in terms of “hunting” birdies and eagles, you may want to reconsider playing Hans Merenskey Golf Club in South Africa. Golfers can expect to be the prey as leopards lurk in the trees and crocodiles lie in wait in the greenside lakes. In 1998 a German golfer was trampled to death by an elephant. Fore!
Rob Thomas rthomas@wtwhmedia.com
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