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Destination on the edge: golf on the DMZ
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
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Ron Mar 11th 2009 6:19AM
I spent over 5 years in Korea and did several rotations at 4P3. I recently tried to find it on Google Earth and other maps but have had no luck. Any chance you could fine it and let me know?
Ray Dodd Jan 17th 2009 3:01PM
I was stationed there 80'-81', it was two hole, so you'd play back and forth.
D Jan 17th 2009 3:01PM
Gary K, Idiot thats a typical republican conservative. Nobody cares what goes over in Korea, why do we stay put there? its not even needed, we always play the lawman in the world. Having to help every little war some other country gets into.
average american Jan 17th 2009 4:59PM
D, your response is that of a typical Democrat, since you like to call names. People DO care what happens in Korea, the Koreans for one !!!!! Do you think only you are worthy of Democracy ?? Or should we sit by and watch the helpless of the world get trampled by the autocrats ?? Not saying everyone we do is right, hardly. But to say we should no tbe someplace because of your political views is, well, in your own words, idiotic.
Dudley Haas Jan 17th 2009 3:44PM
I got hit on the head with a goof ball. It put a knot the size of a goose egg which sprouted up a few centameters above the mole of my 4-head. I just combed my toupee in a downward motion so 's it would cover the ding!
Chaoshi Jan 17th 2009 3:44PM
Reminds me of the Christopher Moore novel "Island of the Sequited Love Nun". Great read BTW.
Golfing for land mines seems like it would be fun..granted your standing in the middle of a 50+ year old raging war
George Jan 17th 2009 4:15PM
It would take some danger to make golf interesting. Personally I would rather watch paint dry....far more interesting.
joe guignon Jan 17th 2009 4:44PM
This comment is to "D" about the US being a "Lawman" policing the world. If we didn't offer help to other countries, the rotten and miserable bastards that start conflicts, would be bombing our country to the ground. This is why we are so busy helping others...better to have people call you for help than throw bombs at you!!
tntillman Jan 17th 2009 5:23PM
i wouldnt go near that place id rather play halo 3
Ivan Lopez Jan 17th 2009 5:40PM
wow.thats an interesting golf course.so what would happen if you were to accidently set off a mine??would they be on the offensive thinking its an attack,or does it happen all the time....this question is for the people that have actually been there.
tom Jan 17th 2009 7:45PM
commy pigs
JAMES Jan 17th 2009 5:59PM
I was there in 1951 and I did not see any golf courses but I did see a lot of people that didn't know what was going on and I had a lot of buddies that will never forget there stay
Army Pilot Jan 17th 2009 5:58PM
I was a UH-60A pilot there from 2004-2007. I've landed there probably over a hundred times doing VIP missions and a few times as a medevac pilot. I've seen the "course" before and its just like the author says.. It's nothing special. However, what is unreal is looking into NK at altitude. If you fly in on a good visibility day (about 7-8 naut. miles) you can see propaganda tower and propaganda village. Besides that.. nothing but mountains and a barren hillsides. It will remind you to be thankful for what we have here stateside. And for the comments from people about "we" need to leave SK.. No, "You" don't want that. Because "we", as in service members, have seen what the ROKs can do. Like the "golf course".. nothing special. Lets just leave it at that.
wadestr Jan 17th 2009 6:19PM
They should have the next "Survivor" filmed here. It could be a really short one with no one getting voted of the golf course. Just have a contest where the contestants hit 10 balls into the rough and then each has to go into the rough and retrieve all 10 balls. I bet the ratings for something like this would be sky high if all the contestants truly competed instead of whimping out.
Jennifer Jan 17th 2009 8:20PM
Stationed there in '03-'04; quiet, still place with a disturbing air. But this is one of the reasons the United States refuses to sign anti-personnel mine treaties. Four miles wide of them are what keeps them on their side and us on ours.
Angiebaby Jan 18th 2009 9:28AM
Oh, Bob, honey! For your birthday this year, I made reservations for you at the Camp Bonifas Golf Resort! And knowing you always take your secretary on your trips so you can get some work done, I made reservations for her, too!
Note to blonde, big-titty Bimbo from the office: Hi, Tiffany! Just a note before you go... there is a sign on the golf course that says "DANGER! DO NOT RETRIEVE BALLS FROM THE ROUGH LIVE MINEFIELDS." This is a just a private joke among the soldiers. Truthfully, you get a free drink at the cantina for every ball you retrieve! Don't tell anyone, 'cause we aren't supposed to know this! Even Bob doesn't know! It's our little secret....
BeeGee Jan 18th 2009 11:02AM
Old Baldy, Pork Chop Hill and other locations on the face of this earth, namely Korea, still brings cold chills.
V. Marchisotto Jan 18th 2009 1:43PM
DAD WAS IN WWII & CALLED BACK FOR KOREAN ( POLITICALLY CORRECT "CONFLICT") I WENT TO NAM. SAME STORY MORE DEAD BODIES. POLITICIANS CHOOSE TO HALT PURSUIT PAST A CERTAIN PARALLEL. DESERT STORM SAME/SAME, IRAQ MORE HAND TYING THE TROOPS LAYING THEIR EVERYTHING ON THE LINE! AS LONG AS THE BAD GUYS CAN RUN AND HIDE WITH NO THREAT OF PURSUIT,TERMINATION IT WILL NEVER END. AN EYE FOR AN EYE DOSEN'T CITE ANY LIMITATIONS!!!! MUSLIMS DON'T KILL PEOPLE!! THEIR EXPLOSIVES,WEAPONS DO!!! SO WE NEED TO KILL,THEM AND REHABILITATE THE REST!!! SAME FOR THE PIRATES OR ANY OTHER BAD GUYS!!!!!!!!!
donnie marlow Jan 20th 2009 6:02AM
please rember to pray for the people that dont no the lord is my be may this you will be bless,
Sean Feb 23rd 2009 4:33PM
I spent a year on the DMZ, on a post just outside of Camp Bonifas, Camp Liberty Bell or as we lovingly called it The Bell ( A. Co 1/506 Inf.) This was back in 1992-93. I spent time over at the JSA compound and even been to Panmunjom. I do not remember the golf course, but then again when I go to Google earth The bell looks a lot different than when I was there not to mention the road or should I say roads. There are several buildings missing , the miniature golf course that myself and several friends built (actually that was remover (or at least the hole was) after we sent a ball through the glass window of the guard shack. I have read several of the posts that people have left and all I have to say is don’t knock it till you try it. I cannot tell you how many rainy nights while on field problems local farmers would invite us in to get worm and to dry out, they would also offer us food. I would go back to Korea any day. They might be at war with their neighbor but it is a place worth visiting.
Here is a little history. If you click on the link most dangerous in the main article, it will take you to a page with the sign for the one whole course, scroll down and you will see some additional photos click on the one labeled The Bridge. Yes that is the Bridge of No Return but what is not mentioned is, just outside of the photo on the right hand side if memory serves me, is a tree stump with a placard on it commemorating Caption Bonifas. The tree blocked the view of the guard tower so that when the North Koreans rushed the detail that was clearing brush around the road no one saw Cap. Bonifas being beheaded by the North Koreans.
There is more to the history behind the incident but I would say go visit the spot and pick up a book on the subject. As far as the north will invade the south, the whole time I was there I was confused as to why we were there. I did not know if we were there to protect the north or the south. Every R.O.K. (Republic of Korea) soldier would say that they could not weight to kill a North Korean soldier. On several incidents, the South Korean Soldiers patrolled the border they did not come back at the prescribed time and a patrol was sent out, what the patrol found was both the north and south soldiers sitting down having breakfast together passing food to one another. My question still remains Why are we there. To those still serving over there Cur A Hee.