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Destination on the edge: golf on the DMZ

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) on Jan 13th 2009 at 9:00AM

The small golf course in Panmunjom is often called the most dangerous in the world. Nestled between North and South Korea – which are technically still at war – sending a ball off the fairway means that it probably won't be retrieved.

Welcome to the strangest place on earth. Panmunjom is the heavily militarized "truce" village straddling the Military Demarcation Line that cuts down the middle of the Korean peninsula's Demilitarized Zone. The most famous image from this corner of the world, of course, is that of soldiers squaring off across from each other, each rigid and ready for the worst. Not far from this scene of perpetual anxiety, worries turn to backswings and short games.

Camp Bonifas, the U.S. military installation in Panmunjom, is home to a one-hole golf course, mostly for the benefit of service members stationed in this dangerous spot for a year at a time. The 192-yard par three "course" is free to anyone interested in playing but is generally unavailable to outsiders. Once you're on Camp Bonifas, according to Erica (who prefers to keep her last name private), it's pretty easy to find "The World's Most Dangerous Golf Course," as the locals call it. There isn't much of anything on this army post, and there are only so many places you can go.

"It's a fairly flat one-hole course," Erica recalls, "so it serves as a novelty, not as somewhere to play an actual game." The location, however, is what makes it unusual. "There isn't anywhere else in the world that one can golf while gazing across the world's most armed border. It's surreal to say the least."

I can see why she feels this way. As you approach the golf course, the sign that welcomes you announces with no equivocation: "DANGER! DO NOT RETRIEVE BALLS FROM THE ROUGH LIVE MINEFIELDS." Never have the implications of shanking a drive been so severe!

If you're up in Panmunjom for the DMZ tour, don't plan to squeeze in a few rounds, however short they may be. But, if you're getting ready to spend 12 months of your life in the Joint Security Area (well, 11 months, as you'll have 30 days of leave), bring a putter and a nine iron. That's all you'll need.

[Photo via Nagyman on Flickr]

Gallery: Welcome to the DMZ

Filed under: Asia, North Korea, South Korea, Hidden Gems, News, Infiltrating North Korea

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Patrick Jan 15th 2009 3:17PM

192 yard hole - bring a 9 iron and a putter and that's all you'll need? I'm an avid golfer and I haven't run into many folks hitting 190 with a 9 iron!!!

Sammy Jan 15th 2009 6:18PM

Re-read the article, it is a par 3.

ZAK Jan 15th 2009 3:16PM

It seems to me that after 50-plus years: it is time for American Armed Forces to leave Korea.

Gary K Jan 15th 2009 9:08PM

Typical liberal.

relentless ralph Jan 15th 2009 9:09PM

Kim Jong-Mentally-ill couldn't have said it better.

Colonel von Janos Jan 15th 2009 9:11PM

There would be a real golf course there if President Truman would have let Gen. McArthur finish the job. We should have dropped the BIG ONE on the Commie S.O.B.s Colonel von Janos nom de guerre.

John Jan 16th 2009 6:26AM

I see you are too young to remember the Korean War, and too lazy to learn its history. Just what do you want to see? The USA pull out, and have the North Invade and overun South Korea again. Note the AGAIN above.

mesaman Jan 17th 2009 5:44PM

Having such great insight into the problems facing the South Koreans and their northern despots, you should call Obama and volunteer your services. Maybe you could shine land mines or something.

Joe Hammond Jan 15th 2009 5:37PM

I've been to this golf course in Panmunjom. For those less foolhearty, there are tennis courts on the other side of the street further away from the mine fields. This is a scary place for those individuals who feel complacent where they live in a democractic society. Very sobering to this day. The cold war is not yet over, believe me. If you doubt it, go to Panmunjom.

Joe Jan 15th 2009 5:42PM

Why is it that so many people have to be insulting and filthy minded when given the opportunity to post messages? What thrill do you get from that?

Tom Johansmeyer Jan 15th 2009 5:45PM

I couldn't agree with you more. I just deleted the offensive stuff, sorry it took me longer than I expected to get it done.

Just a message to everyone: feel free to question me all you want. Tell me when I get it wrong. I'm more than happy to let those through (as you can see from #2 above ... yeah, I'm busted as not being a golfer). But, I will delete posts that contain obscene or offensive language with no appropriate context.

Joe Jan 15th 2009 5:48PM

Thank you.

David Jan 15th 2009 7:50PM

If a golf ball goes into the ruff and triggers a mine and gets blown into the hole, is there a stroke penalty?

photoman Jan 18th 2009 8:18AM

Great line
I did not participate in the war. But, one of my uncle's lost his life during the conflict.
Retreat is not an option. Thanks for putting a fun spin

Kari-Ty Michele Jan 15th 2009 9:09PM

I'm sure Tiger Woods would be fine... Maybe that's where he perfected his craft :)

firecracker Jan 15th 2009 10:44PM

If you play this course you need to visit
www.kdontechnology.com first

Dan McGrew Jan 16th 2009 6:27AM

After 50 years, the "X"-SPURTS say DugOut Doug was right. The U.S. was the major part of a U.N. force opposing hopped up Chinese "volunteers" and N. Korea's conscripts.
Dugout Doug wanted to cross the Yalu, without U.N. authority when every hand grenade available was in a single Quonset hut in Okinawa and our under-equipped and under-clothed troops were surviving with WWII gear.
Having spent more time than I care to remember in a U.S. Army hospital during that lovely Korean Police Action era, I fully recognize the ignorance of those who profess "speaking authority" on the subject.
The U.N. and its operations are far from perfect.
BUT, except for situations where we "Yanks" were sucked in to back "Anti-Communist" dictators, it has mostly been effective.
We've had a U.S. spokesman declare "Korea is not in our sphere of security", inviting the attack on S. Korea under conditions at that time; George Marshal [prior to 1950] refuse Ho Chi Minh's plea for U.S.help with Viet Nam gaining freedom from French colonial rule, Bush family adventures in Iraq, Grenada and Panama; and now the justified Afghan effort.
Now with "war profiteer" mentality sweeping U.S. business, the nation is almost as broke as the "cold war" left Russia.