Seven courses you must avoid this year
There are some courses where golfers have been known to proclaim ’you haven’t lived’ unless you’ve played them.
But there are other courses where you might not live, if you choose to tee up there.
Perhaps you’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime golfing trip, but here are a selection that you’ll want to avoid, unless your surname is Schwarzenegger.
Kabul Golf Course, Afghanistan
In a sense, Kabul is a message of hope – a small five-hole course operated by a man with a vision of peace in this war-torn country. But that’s not enough to convince us to book a tee time.
Camp Bonifas, in the Korean Demilitarised Zone
The world’s most famous dangerous course. Surrounded by a mine field on three sides, the course is comprised of just one hole – a 192-yard par 3. According to the Washington post, at least one tee shot has exploded a land mine.
Why was the course built here? For no reason other than to irritate the North Koreans, with players encouraged to avoid eye contact opposing soldiers, lest they attempt to put a hole in you.
‘When a course has emergency warning systems… you’ll probably want to play somewhere else’ La Jenny Naturist Course, France
Sticklers for golfing attire are urged to stay away from La Jenny, where clothing of any kind is frowned upon. The course is part of a naturist resort, making it the only naked golf course in the world. Stay away, unless you have the self confidence to make it work.
Merapi, Indonesia
An eruption of Mt Merapi in 2010 killed over 350 people and a portion of the course was buried beneath a lava and ash flow. When a course has emergency warning systems to alert you if the nearby volcano begins to erupt, you’ll probably want to play somewhere else.
Ebla Cham Palace Hotel, Syria
With 2.5 stars on Tripadvisor’s rating system, Ebla Cham might actually be a OK place to stay, were it not for the massive conflict which is threatening to tear the country apart. The resort’s golf course was built in 2001 and is the only one in Syria, where people have other things to worry about than golf.
Lima Country Club, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
With a murder rate of 171.2 per 100,000 people, San Pedro Sula is the most dangerous city in the world. Laid out on a former banana plantation, the city’s Lima Country Club is Honduras’ only 18-hole course. Five murders happen in the city every single day – so if the group behind want to play through, we suggest you let them.
Skukuza, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Roaming the fairways of Skukuza, deep within the confines of Kruger National Park, are elephants, hippos, rhinos, leopards and lions. And this is isn’t a hypothetical ’you might die’ course – people have actually died here. Hippos and leopards have killed people, and any course that features a water hazard named Lake Panic, due to the Nile crocodiles residing there, needs avoiding.
