Golf is a sport predicated on concentration. Announcers whisper, fans clap politely, even the birds restrain themselves to dulcet chirps, fearful of breaking the game’s studious spell. This is what makes Bangkok’s Kantarat Golf Course one of the most of unique on earth. Zoom in, and it looks like any old public course. Zoom out, and you’ll notice something remarkable:
The golf course, which belongs to the Royal Thai Airforce, is sandwiched between two bustling runways at Don Mueang International Airport (DMK).
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According to Simple Flying, Kantarat Golf Course was constructed by the RTAF in 1952, becoming the first golf course in Thailand’s capital city of Bangkok and just the second in the country after the completion of Hua Hin Royal Golf Course in 1924.
For decades, DMK served as the primary airport for all of Bangkok, with flights coming and going over the golf course day and night. After the larger Suvarnabhumi Airport opened in 2006, DMK closed to all commercial traffic. Six years later, DMK re-opened to commercial carriers, and through it all, Kantarat Golf Course remained.
Though Kantarat is owned by the RTAF, it is a public golf course catering to budget-minded golfers, with green fees costing less than $A15 during the week and $A27 on the weekends. The narrow 18-hole course clocks in at 5,821 metres and includes an on-site pro shop and Thai restaurant serving local food, but there are a few catches.
Vehicles are not permitted on the premises, so you will have to lug your clubs from the airport’s back gate. Golfers are also required to pass through an explosive scanner before their rounds and must play with a cart and caddie for security purposes. Balls lost near the edges of the narrow course are considered out-of-bounds and cannot be retrieved for every obvious reasons. The airport can also handle up to 55 flights an hour, so don’t expect peace and quiet.
Then again, that’s part of what makes the overall experience at Kantarat unlike any other in golf. If you’re looking to add this hidden gem to your bucket list, however, don’t wait too long. Airports of Thailand have been trying to buy the golf course from the RTAF to expand DMK, but have yet to meet the billion-Baht (about $A44 million) asking price. If the fate of municipal golf courses across the globe has taught us one thing, though, it’s that a sale is a matter of when, not if.
