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The world’s longest golf course stretches across 1,365 km of featureless Australian outback with each hole sitting miles and miles apart from each other, often in different towns.
The Nullarbor Links is a genius tactic to increase tourism along the barren stretch of Australia’s Eyre Highway between Ceduna and Kalgoorlie. Each of the holes in the golf course resides in a different “town,” some of which are no more than a small gas station or hotel along the highway, with warnings like “watch out for snakes” included on the itinerary. Somewhat unsurprisingly, the idea is said to have come to a couple of members of the Eyre Highway Operators Association while they split a bottle of red wine together, which is the sort of time when ideas like that develop.
The scorecards for the par-72 course can be picked up at either end of the course, meaning it’s flexible with which direction you complete the holes in. The cards must be stamped at each hole, and once complete, golfers can turn it in for their free certificate of completion. Some of the holes are closer together than others, but the longest distance between holes is over 120 miles. The actual length of the holes are relatively standard, you just have to cover the distance between them.
Each of the holes also has a distinctly Australian monicker like the Wombat Hole, the Sheep’s Back, and the Dingo’s Den. Just in case the sprawling outback landscape stretching off in every direction was not enough of a reminder that you’re in Australia.
Submitted by Atlas Obscura contributor samreeve.
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