Record-Breaking Golf Course Sits 4,500 Feet In The Air
Like any good sport, golf isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a game that takes focus, wisdom, and technique; knowing the terrain is as important as knowing how to hit a tiny ball. That would be the case on even the most basic course; meanwhile, a nightmarish creation was built with the intent to push golfers to their limits — if they can even reach it.
Queenstown, New Zealand is a neighbor to Par 3, a golf course with an extreme twist. If golfers decide to give it a try, then they have to take a helicopter to a tiny green to tee off; said green sits on the top of a 4,500 foot-tall mountain. Even beyond that, the course is more about the rugged terrain that surrounds the spot, thanks to its position in the Southern Alps. As a result, it’s easy to lose balls forever — and those that actually manage to land on the next green have to ride the helicopter over there.
The course may not be tournament-ready, but its creation makes sense. Louisa Patterson is the founder of Over the Top, a company that specializes in helicopter tours; given the scenery and suggestions from customers, the natural course of action was to turn the spot into a golf course. Granted it’s built around a wild gimmick, but Par 3 still stands more than three times higher than the next tallest course — which in turn lets it hold a world record. That alone might be enough to pull willing golfers in for a spin.
