"Moderately hilly and wooded?" Jeez...at least give us credit where it's due.
Link: http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ycn-10615271
Link: http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ycn-10615271
We all know that disc golf is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, but did you know there are courses on all seven continents of the planet? There are currently more than 4,300 disc golf courses in the world, and there is even one located in the harsh climate of Antarctica. Here is a look at three courses in some of the most unusual places.
Ross Island Disc Golf Course
The Ross Island course is located at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. A blogger named Mitchell who was there for work, documented his experience playing on this extremely remote course. It was established in 2005, and is said to be moderately hilly and wooded.
The varied terrain includes (surprise!) ice, snow and heavy winds as well as heavy equipment, and directions state: "From Christchurch New Zealand, hop on a military flight down to 'The Ice' - McMurdo Station Antarctica."
Somehow I doubt anyone will just be popping over to check this one out, but if you do, Mitchell says hole#6 is the signature hole and, "On a clear day there is a magnificent view of Mactown and across the Ross Sea to the Transantarctic mountains."
There is a greenhouse at hole#9 where you can stop and warm up and have a drink or two.
Abqaiq Saudi Aramco
If you're in Saudi Arabia, Abqaiq is a Saudi Aramco camp that's located in the interior of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, and there is a disc golf course here. The compound is built for the employees of the oil company and their extended families.
This is a nine hole course that was built in 2006 on parkland in the heart of the community, with trees and bushes added to challenge players of most skill levels.
It would certainly be a unique experience to play in the middle of the desert at this one. Just remember to dress very conservatively, especially if you're a woman, to avoid being arrested . I'm not sure I'd want to put this on my list of courses to play, but it would certainly be an adventure.
Dunes Disc Golf Course in Russia
Dunes is a course that sits on the north shore of the Gulf of Finland, about 35 kilometers from central Saint Petersburg in Russia. It's the first disc golf park in Russia, established in 2009. It's total length is about 800 meters, and is said to have lots of hills for elevation changes and is moderately wooded.
It's part of the Dunes Health Resort, and is comprised of nine holes in a very scenic area with sand dunes and a pine forest. This one sounds like an interesting course to play, just don't visit in the winter. Saint Petersburg experiences an especially, long, cold and dark winter with temperatures often below zero.
The first time K.C. Dermody played disc golf was in the spectacular Black Hills of South Dakota. She has since become addicted to the sport, and enjoys playing in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She welcomes comments and suggestions, with the goal of promoting the sport of disc golf throughout the world. Find her on www.facebook.com/KCDermodyWriter.
