Despite monumental challenges, the scrappy and spirited Kabul Golf Club lives on. Today's New York Times featured a front page story on the course's implausible survival and its tenacious director's struggle to keep it alive.
I've long been fascinated by this once thriving golf course, situated perilously in harsh, beautiful Afghanistan, a country that's been torn by war and occupation as far back as I can remember.
On this nine hole course the greens are called browns. Abandoned tanks and discarded weaponry litter the landscape, but the young locals who take lessons and play at the Kabul Golf Club are apparently passionate about the sport. They regularly scramble up up craggy hillsides to retrieve their few balls for practice, and in addition to clubs, these guys carry around a section of artificial turf to simulate fairway shots. We talk about being golf obsessed; they've taken that to a whole new level.
I urge you to read Kirk Semple's NYT article. It's touching, sad, inspiring and hopeful...all at the same time.
Update - 10/16/07: If you liked this story, check out the accompanying video on Oobgolf today. It's amazing. I hope Kabul Golf Club can survive and, when Afghanistan finds peace, thrive. In the meantime I'm hoping to find a way to support this heroic little golf course... I'll keep you posted.
it looks and sounds like diker heights, circa 1975!
ReplyDeleteI find it amazing that the the website actually has an on-line shop. I'm definitely ordering a Kabul Golf Club sweatshirt.
ReplyDeletei wonder if women have to golf in burkas? wouldn't that be difficult!
ReplyDeleteIn Iran (an Islamic republic with rather strict interpretation of Islamic laws) women play golf in a headscarf and a tunic type outfit. They have a national team that competes in tournaments around the middle east and Asia. The burka that's common in Afghanistan covers the woman from head to toe with just a small net inset to see out of. It would be nearly impossible to play in that. However, there are Afghan women who do not wear the full covering burka but something more like the Iranian version. Also I think in general they're more libral with what foreigners would be allowed to wear. I imagine it would cause quite a stir if a woman chose to play in what's customary here. To say the least.
ReplyDeleteYou should think about playing there, it would make a great episode of Golf Girl TV. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat story. I'm heading off to Afghanistan next month. I'm definitely going to bring my clubs.
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