World's highest Golf Course Yak Golf course!! - Sikkim

Navrang India September 20, 2015
Yak golf course-highest in the world (13,054 feet), Sikkim Silk Route

Himalayan Yak, Sikkim. Proud to be a Sikkimese 

Golf is not a popular past time in India. Here the general consensus has been that only the rich and famous play it as the club subscriptions are way high even for upper middle class people. There are more than 100 golf courses  across India and most of them are in the north. Famous ones lie in the foot hills of the Himalayas. 
Yak Golf Course,Sikkim, India -highest Golf Course in the worldindroyc.com

A few places in the world have the highest golf courses,  for example La Paz Golf Club, Bolivia, South America 11,000 feet (3,400m). This golf course in the Bolivian Andes  is still operational; the other being  Tuctu Golf Club -  a golf course  located in Morococha, Peru is  not operational. At an elevation of 14,335 feet (4,369 m) until late 1993, it held the world record for the highest golf club. The course was abandoned in the mid-1990s and  there is no trace of it  today. Golfers used to experience nosebleeds and dizziness.
Yak golf course-highest in the world (13,054 feet), Sikkim. Golfgaga

In  the US there are many Golf courses above 8500 feet in Colorado state.  A 9-hole course in Leadville  being the highest course (9680 feet above msl) in North America.

World's tallest Golf Course, India. .glenmuir.com



Presently,  The Yak Golf Course at  at Kupup,  located at an Altitude of 13,054 feet  above  msl  in East Sikkim, India  boasts of a eighteen hole golf course and is adjudged as the the highest in the world by Guinness Book of World Records.

The credit goes to three  Indian Army Officers Brig JM Singh, Brig Ranbir Singh,  and Col T K Murali who were instrumental in reshaping, redesigning into one of the finest Golf courses in the world. The golf club is being  managed by the Indian Army and has been affiliated to the Indian Golfers Union since 1992.

The golf course is open year round, subject to snow conditions. Suitable period is May to December. The fairways and greens would not be much covered by snow. The course has difficult  fairways meandering across mountain streams in their full flow. The course will  test the golfing skills and the physical endurance  of the golfers.

As the air thins out at higher altitude above 10000 feet and less oxygen is available, it's not that easy to play golf comfortably  at such dizzy height as you would play at levels below 5000 feet. Despite your robust health, unless you get acclimatized to the weather condition at higher elevation, it is a risky business. Golfers may experience headaches, nausea, edema and dizziness while teeing off. As it is located in the military land owned by the Indian government, I believe, permission is necessary if you want to play there.  Playin golf in the lap of mother nature, it is said, is a rare experience. You need special skill and endurance to play in a difficult terrain at an height more than 13000 above MSL. 

Tit Bits:

 01. Furnace Creek Golf Course, Death Valley, California, USA  is the world's lowest elevation golf course at 215 feet (66m) below sea level. It is one of the hottest areas in the world.

02. Royal Golf Club of  Kolkata (Calcutta) is the oldest Golf course in India and Britain. Established by the British far before the take over of East India company by the British Crown in 1857. It was the first outside Great Britain.