One of golf’s many qualities is it can be played anywhere.
Grab a club and a golf ball, dig a hole, walk 200 yards away and hit back to it. Whether in a desert, snow or a farmer’s field, anything can be a golf course if you have imagination.
The upcoming list of extreme and craziest golf courses I’m about to present is proof of this. If there’s grass, sand or ice, stick a flag in the ground and let’s get going.
When we’re discussing the craziest golf courses in the world, there is no better place to begin than the top of a cliff at Legend Golf Course in Pretoria, South Africa.
Craziest golf courses in the world
Legend Golf Course in Pretoria, South Africa
Legend Golf and Safari Resort features an 18 hole course designed with each hole belonging to a different designer, including names such as Trevor Immelman and Retief Goosen – two of South Africa’s greatest golfers, plus Vijay Singh, Padraig Harrington, Camillo Villegas and Sergio Garcia.
Once the 18 holes are done, you can head up to the extreme 19th hole, a par 3 with a tee box 400 metres above the green on Hanglip Mountain. A helicopter takes you up there and it can take 26 seconds for your ball to hit the ground towards the green.
Read more here about how to get there.
Coeur D’Alene (14th hole), Idaho, USA
You can’t beat the look of an island par 3. TPC Sawgrass owns the world’s most famous one, the 17th on the Stadium Course, but Coeur D’Alene Resort in Idaho might have something to say about that.
The 14th hole here requires an electric-powered boat ride to the green to complete the hole. If you negotiate it and put your ball in the hole, the boat’s captain hands you a certificate of recognition. The Floating Green is moveable through an underwater cable system. It can play between 90 and 220 yards.
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Find out how to play it here.
Uummannaq in Greenland
You might think playing golf in the middle of winter in the UK is cold, but Uummannaq Golf Course in Greenland is another level. This golf course is located on a small island 350 miles north of the Arctic Circle where temperatures can drop as low as minus 45.
Players are supposedly advised on how to spot signs of frostbite on this track that features seal dens and even polar bear sightings. The World Ice Golf Championships have been held there since 1997.
Find out how to play at Uummannaq here.
Nullarbor Links, Australia
Despite the ice and the height of the previous venues I’ve discussed, Nullarbor Links in Australia could be the most extraordinary golf course in the world. It spans 850 miles where you have to drive in between holes. One stretch can be 45 miles, another 120 and the fairways resemble the surfaces of Mars in some spots.
It is a par 72 golf course with a hole in each participating town or roadhouse on the Eyre Highway, from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to Ceduna in South Australia. It costs $70 to play and you have to get a scorecard from Ceduna visitor’s centre.
You can find out more on how to play it here.
Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand
Cape Kidnappers is one of the most remarkable golf courses on the planet, designed by Tom Doak just south of Napier and completed in 2004.
Many holes feature stunning views and sheer drops of 400 feet to the sea. There are ravines and dramatic cliffs in this ridge-and-valley landscape which represents one of the best golf courses in New Zealand and the world.
Discover how to play the course here.
Kantarat Golf Course, Bangkok, Thailand
Don’t play golf at Kantarat in Thailand if you demand silence on each shot. This golf course is situated between two runways at Don Mueang International and was built by the Royal Thai Air Force in 1952.
It is a public golf course that is extremely affordable to play. 18 holes will only cost you the equivalent of $9.54 and $18.48 on weekends. There is a pro shop and a restaurant, but just don’t complain about the noise if you sit for a bite to eat.
Find out more here.
La Jenny, France
Now then. La Jenny in France takes some explaining. It claims to be the only naturist golf course in the world near a family park on the coast near Bordeaux.
There is also a naturist village, as well as a golf course, where (ahem) nudity is mandatory. It is a six-hole golf course with three par 3s and three par 4s. A green fee is €32 and the website says there is “a warm atmosphere with a very welcoming terrace with a magnificent view of the course.”
Approach with caution and find out more here.
Furnace Creek in Death Valley
On the surface, this doesn’t seem too extravagant but once you’re out of the car, you’ll feel why Furnace Creek of Death Valley in California makes the list.
The golf course is 214 feet below sea level and the heat is a real issue here. The average summer temperature sits at 45 degrees Celsius and it can top over 50 sometimes.
By all means, explore the golf course here, but be aware of the boiling perils.
La Paz in Bolivia
From the lowest golf course in the world to the highest. La Paz Golf Course in Bolivia is located at over 11,600 feet. There are 18 holes up there in the Valle de La Luna landscape – translated as the valley of the moon.
The course itself is extremely eye-catching with stunning views across deep valleys. The thin mountain atmosphere helps your ball to travel that little bit further which is crucial on the 12th hole when you have to carry 180 yards to the fairway.
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Find out more here.
Ile Aux Cerfs, Mauritius
Ile Aux Cerfs in Mauritius is on its own island and this incredible piece of land became even more special when two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer decided to design a golf course on it.
It is 19 holes and is only reachable by a boat shuttle from a private jetty. There are incredible views of the ocean and the golf course snakes around volcanic rock outcrops, lakes and gullies.
Find out more on how to play it here.
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Which of the craziest golf courses would you like to play first? Have you played any of the craziest golf courses in the world? Tell us on X!
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