Ice Golf – only the coolest require use!

Want to try the ultimate golf problem on a course exactly where you’ll have no difficulty staying cool over even the most testing putt? You should think about taking up Ice Golf – the most incredible development that the golf planet has seen for decades.

Each and every yr thirty 6 golfers (or lunatics, based on your viewpoint) gather in Greenland to play in the Planet Ice Golf championship. This year’s event takes place in late March and early April. The course is marked out on the ice of the frozen fjord and you can anticipate icebergs or the occasional polar bear for business! As the organisers say: “if you’ve played on the greens of Europe, then you’ll find the “whites” of Greenland rather unique.”

The Planet Ice Golf Championship was the brainchild of Mr. Arne Neimann, a local resident and hotel proprietor on a small island known as Uummannaq, off Greenland’s North West coast. He and a buddy created the first course in 1997 and the sport took off from there.

The planet championship is played on the ice in many years when the conditions make the ice fields secure and predictable. Gamers contend over two days and play thirty 6 holes of stroke play. There is a “warm up” tournament the day prior to even though “cool down” may be a much more relevant phrase to describe the impact it has on the golfers. In March, when the planet championships are held, the typical temperature is minus thirteen.9 degrees Celsius, but temperatures as low as minus twenty five can occur. The dry local weather and the strong sunshine can make it appear slightly much less cold than that – but not by a lot!

The organisers also try to keep the golf course open and available for a number of weeks each yr for other open icegolf tournaments.

The greens are white and the balls are red. The “whites” are defined by a small wall of snow or by a red line on the ice. Gamers are permitted to use a scraper to smooth the snow on the white in front of their putt – the only time in golf that a player can legitimately enhance the line of his putt. The snow and ice conditions underfoot differ from hole to hole and contestants require to put on polar ice gloves, artic boots and countless layers of clothing. Anti-glare sunglasses are also a good concept.

One contestant a couple of many years ago quipped that “the only hole in one I scored was when one leg disappeared via a seal’s breathing hole in the ice.” There is also a local rule to offer with the unlikely scenario of a polar bear interfering with your ball!

The organisers are looking for a new sponsor this yr but in previous many years the Drambuie liqueur business took the lead. Gamers and spectators had been able to warm themselves by sampling some of the sponsor’s best product. As always nevertheless, even that feature has a twist to it. Instead than ice cubes in the drink, the drink was served in “ice cubes” or glasses carved out of ice to be much more exact. Trophies had been introduced from tables carved out of ice and the scorer’s tent was to be found in an igloo!

If you get the opportunity to visit Greenland for a game of ice golf then sieze it with each fingers. It will be the most unique game of your life.

Gary Hill plays most of his golf in Scotland and thinks that winter season on the hyperlinks of East Lothian is much more than cold sufficient for him. Examine out his european vacation website for info about much more civilised golf and about Ireland golf vacations

Gary also contributes to a medical website on the theme of whiplash injury