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| Line 7: Although there are several accounts of golfers practicing golf in the winter since the Middle Ages, Rudyard Kipling, an avid golfer, documented this pastime while writing '']'' in Vermont during the winters of the early 1890s. He did so by painting his golf balls red and placing red cups in the snow.<ref></ref> Tina Blomme is responsible for the invention and officialisation of Snow Golf. She has worked on the sport for over 20 years. Current information on the sport can be found on the Snow Golf Official Site: snowgolfinc.com ==Snow golf (ice golf)== | |||
Revision as of 23:54, 22 November 2016
Snow golf is a sport based on golf but played over snow (or ice) instead of grass. The "greens" are called "whites" and have a maintained snow or ice surface.
History
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Golf on snow or ice and classical golf (and perhaps hockey) may share a common ancestor in the Dutch game of "Kolf", played since the Middle Ages. Evidence for Kolf as a popular winter pastime can be seen in numerous 17th-century paintings by renowned artists Aert van der Neer and Hendrick Avercamp. There is also evidence that golf was practiced on snow and ice in Scotland. However, it was not considered an actual sport as all forms of golf must be played on snow/ice golf course and have rules.
Although there are several accounts of golfers practicing golf in the winter since the Middle Ages, Rudyard Kipling, an avid golfer, documented this pastime while writing The Jungle Book in Vermont during the winters of the early 1890s. He did so by painting his golf balls red and placing red cups in the snow.
Tina Blomme is responsible for the invention and officialisation of Snow Golf. She has worked on the sport for over 20 years. Current information on the sport can be found on the Snow Golf Official Site: snowgolfinc.com
Snow golf (ice golf)
Snow golf is played throughout Canada, the US, South America, China, Korea, Japan and Europe. A high quality course is constructed each winter in Jämijärvi. A forested nine-hole course known for its 480 meters par-5 hole, tries to emulate the conditions of the summer game to a high degree. It also caters to events such as the Aalto University competition organized in 2011
Recurring events
The annual World Ice Golf Championship has been held on the world's northernmost golf course on the shelf ice near Uummannaq, Greenland since 1997. The course is reformed by the moving ice every year and play is highly dependent on weather conditions and thus, has been canceled several years running. Competitors are allowed a maximum handicap of 36. Clubs with graphite shafts are not recommended, as they can shatter in the extreme temperatures.
A Snow Golf Championship in Argentina has been held in Cerro Castor, Ushuaia since 2008, by José M. García Daroca.
A Snowgolf World Championship for amateurs was held in January 2007 in Abtenau, Austria. The event is hosted as a major Austrian celebrity event and sponsored by the state of Salzburg as part of the touristic scheme. Another Snowgolf World Championship took place in Obertauern, Austria. Thanks to the "Million Dollar Putt" contest, the official Championship on playing golf on snow title was the biggest prize for an amateur golf event in the world up to now. Alongside amateur competitors, many big names from sport and showbiz were trying to sink their "Million Dollar Putt" for important causes - "Wings for Life" (Spinal Cord Research Foundation) and "Eagles Charity Golf Club". In the end nobody could pull off the big putt, and the prize remains unclaimed until the next championship. Adi Hengstberger (D) retained his 2007 title. The runners-up were Tristan David (Philippines) and Peter Dobrowolsky (Austria). The new women's World Champion was Sarah Hölzl (Austria).
Another European Championship event in Snow Golf was held in Switzerland January 13–16, 2011. Seventy-two qualifiers are entitled to play the two-day tournament.
World Championship results
| Year | Event | Date | Place | Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Ice golf | 27.3. – 28.3. | Uummannaq, Greenland | Peter Masters, England |
| 2000 | Ice golf | Uummannaq, Greenland | Annika Østberg, Denmark | |
| 2001 | Ice golf | 7.4. – 8.4. | Uummannaq, Greenland | Annika Østberg, Denmark |
| 2002 | Ice golf | Uummannaq, Greenland | Roger Beames, Scotland | |
| 2003 | Ice golf | 21.3. – 23.3. | Uummannaq, Greenland | cancelled due to bad weather |
| 2006 | Ice golf | 23.2. – 27.3. | Uummannaq, Greenland | Jason Cunningham, Australia |
| 2007 | Snow golf | 2.2. – 4.2. | Abtenau (Austria) | Men: Adi Hengstberger, Germany / Women: Kathi Hämpel, Austria |
| 2007 | Ice golf | Uummannaq, Greenland | cancelled due to thin ice | |
| 2008 | Ice golf | 20.3. - 25.3. | Uummannaq, Greenland | cancelled by new management |
| 2009 | Snow golf | 29.1. – 31.1. | Obertauern (Austria) | Men: Adi Hengstberger, Germany / Women: Sarah Holzl, Austria |
| 2009 | Ice golf | 19.3. – 24.3. | Uummannaq, Greenland |
See also
References
- Aert van der Neer: A Village in Winter with Skaters on a Frozen Canal (Oil on canvas, ca. 1660)
- Hendrick Avercamp: A Winter Scene with Two Gentlemen Playing Kolf (Oil on canvas, between 1615 and 1620), Getty Museum.
- "Snow Golf: Tee Times Info"
- A description of a snow golf competition organized in Jämi
- Melting golf-courses and polar bears. BBC Sport Online, February 22nd, 2001
- World Ice Golf Championship at Golfinfo
- Snowgolf Argentina
- Million Dollar Putt in Obertauern. Salzburg24, February 2nd 2009 (german)
- first-golf-on-snow-euroean championship
- Report of the Schneegolf WC 2007
Further reading
- Extreme Golf: The World's Most Unusual, Fantastic, and Bizarre Courses. Duncan Lennard, Sourcebooks, 2004 (ISBN 1402203144)
- The Caddie Was a Reindeer: And Other Tales of Extreme Recreation. Steve Rushin, Atlantic Monthly Press, 2004 (ISBN 0871138786)
- World Ice Gold Championship. Brilliant Results, März 2006, S. 50–53 (PDF)