Coober Pedy Golf, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Airing Date: Mar 24th, 2007
Located in the desert opal mining town of
Coober Pedy, the
Coober Pedy Opal Fields Golf Club started in 1975 on only 9 holes. It expanded to 18 holes in 1996.
In 2002 a fire destroyed their club house so the President of the Coober Pedy Opal Fields Golf Club, Kim Kelly, wrote to
St Andrew Links Trust. He included a photo of the new club house and told them that they should get their course up to Coober Pedy's standards and asked whether they would like reciprocal membership.
Quite a few bantering letters ensued with St Andrew Links Trust offering to give them reciprocal rights if they gave them an opal mine. Kim Kelly couldn't pass this opportunity up so sent them a photo of their new opal mine with a few bits of opal in the letter and told them that they had come through with their end of the bargain and asking for St Andrews Links Trust to come through with theirs.
To their surprise they got a letter back from St Andrews Links Trust saying how the Trustees were staggered by their increase in wealth which no doubt would help fund their 7th golf course, and decided to grant reciprocal rights in January as it was so hot in Australia and cold in Scotland so it would be a perfect time to travel to the other location.
The only other catch is that the agreement is for the
Balgove course (which happens to be the worst course at St Andrews - only 9 holes). The letter is now framed and hanging proudly in the Coober Pedy Opal Fields Club House.
The Coober Pedy Opal Fields Golf Club is also famous for being a grassless course, where you have to carry around a patch of synthetic grass to tea off on and where the "greens" are oiled to stop the sand blowing away.
FURTHER INFORMATION Coober Pedy Opal Fields Golf Club - Annual membership from $ 25 social, $ 75 locals, $100 non-locals.
Green Fees & Club Hire from $10. Prices correct at 24/03/07. For further details, contact them on
(08) 8672 5555.
Desert Cave Hotel - Underground Room from $198 a double. Cruises run most Saturdays, and daily, during the School Holidays. Price correct at 24/3/07. Price includes taxes, subject to fluctuation. Conditions apply. Call them on
(08) 8672 5688.
Qantas - fly one way to Adelaide. From $140 ex Melbourne, $185 ex Sydney & Brisbane, $275 ex Perth. Price correct at 20/2/07. Price available online and includes surcharges, fees and taxes, subject to fluctuation. Conditions apply.
Rex Air - Fly one way to Coober Pedy from $182 ex Adelaide. Price correct at 20/2/07
Price available online and includes surcharges, fees and taxes, subject to fluctuation
Conditions apply.
