A recent experience playing in Ireland and an email from one of our members who is traveling in Austrailia inspired the thought to write about the most unique golf courses in the world. Golfaround certainly has golfed at a number of amazing courses, not only in Canada and the USA, but all over the world. I am sure many of you can think of the most difficult holes you have ever played, the Heaven or Hell hole in Kusadasi comes to mind for sure. Golf is a funny game in many respects, we hit down to make the ball go up and swing easy to make it go far, but the oddest thing by far is some of the places people play it.
In the Outback of South Austrailia there is a unique golf course in Coober Pedy, the Opal Fields Golf Club. The picture was taken and sent to us by Gail Ennis who recently visited here. Interestingly this is a desert golf course without grass! The only grass to be seen is a small patch from where you hit your ball off. The club house/pro shop was unattended and not a bee hive of activity. I believe you pay for your round in town at The Old Timers Mine, For $10 you get 3 used balls, 3 tees, 9 & 18 hole score cards and a piece of synthetic lawn to hit your ball off the fairway. A difficult place to play as the flies are horrendous, they even sell you a face mask to keep you comfortable. No maintenance need here. Fairways are desert and if you have any idea where your ball is going to end up you have to watch intently and sometime that is a problem especially when your ball hits a rock on the fairway, it can end up anywhere. Greens are soaked in oil to stop the sand from blowing away. It’s a rake and scrape green – you mark your ball, get the heavy rake and rake from the hole to where you ball is, then you turn the rake over and scrape over the raking to make the line from the ball to,the hole is smooth. Sounds like a blast, we will have to give it a go sometime.