What links the courses of Coxmoor, deep in the heart of Nottinghamshire, Gog Magog in Cambridgeshire and Russia’s Ural Mountains?
The answer? Both Coxmoor and Gog Magog claim that if you head directly eastwards from their fairways, the next land that reaches the same altitude is a mountain range deep in Siberia.
If you squint, you can just about see them
It seems unbelievable, but with the North and Baltic Seas, and the low-lying Baltic states, it’s an incredible claim to fame.
It’s a distance of more than 4,500km, but at least you know it’s downhill all the way.
Then, when you arrive, you’re likely to find some cultural differences:
Show and tell day at school was always interesting though
Both Coxmoor and Gog Magog have got stories to tell – from mythical giants to aeroplanes literally falling out of the sky, on to the course.
Gog Magog’s unusual name actually comes from the Book of Ezekiel, representing the heathen king who will (apparently) lead his army to victory over the Israelites.
‘One can imagine it was like running into a brick wall’ But in the UK, the name has been adopted for various other myths and legends.
The 12th Century ‘historian’ Geoffrey of Monmouth (he had a tendency to embellish his stories) told of how the giant Gogmagog of Albion was overthrown by Corineus, who had come with Brutus of Troy to people the Island. Presumably, they brought women too.
A separate legend has it the giants Gog and Magog are the guardians of London. Their statues stand in the Guildhall in London, but they’d certainly make an intimidating foursomes team…
‘Excuse me, do you mind if we play through?’
Pretty intimidating stuff. But if you’re afraid for your life, it’s probably best not to fly over Coxmoor, which can lay claim to being England’s Bermuda Triangle, such is the apparent danger to passing aircraft.
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In fact, the course’s elevation contributed to one of the most incredible events in the club’s history.
Although the 13th tee is the highest point, but it was the seventh hole that witnessed a Blenheim bomber crashing in to the course.
The incident occurred during the Second World War and the club’s Bill White recalled: “He must have come over the seventh tee and straight down the hole because we could see where, just in front of the green, his props had cut grooves, before coming to rest on the green.
“One can imagine it was like running into a brick wall when the plane hit the bank at the rear of the green.”
Club member Jim Horsley was enjoying an early-morning round when he was the first to come across the aircraft, with wreckage spread all over the surrounding area.
Over the years, an RAF Lysander crash-landed on the 16th fairway, two RAF Canberra jet bombers collided in the sky above Coxmoor, two hot air balloons came down on the course near the entrance gate, while on another occasion an advertising airship barely cleared the clubhouse roof.
Last week we learned that Enid Blyton wrote many of her stories while sat outside the clubhouse of the course she owned. You can read all about it HERE.
Don’t forget to get in touch if your course has a claim to fame by emailing karl@sportspub.co.uk
