Any time something happens in the world the first place affected is the travel industry. Travel and entertainment are usually the first things to be cut in times of a financial crisis. People need a roof over their heads and food on the table but going out to dinner and a movie and family vacations are the first to go.

During a financial crisis, like the one the world is in right now, families have to tighten their belts and make their money go further. Many people are unemployed or have had to take paycuts at work and have to stretch their budget so that their essentials are covered.

This leaves little left for the fun things in life. In the past people would plan and look forward to taking one or two vacations each year. Now they have scaled back and if they are still going on vacation they are looking at vacation spots that they can drive to. This eliminates the cost of airfare as well as renting a car.

People start doing more research to try to get the best travel deal they can get. If they are still planning to fly then they are looking at the cheapest options available and sometimes this may mean taking connections or traveling at off peak times.

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While golf may not come under the traditional category of ‘extreme sports’, there are an increasing number of resorts springing up that cater for the thrill-seeking adrenaline junkie.

One of the best places to start is the land down under, and Australia’s World’s Longest Golf Course certainly takes extreme to new levels. Saying exactly what it does on the tin, this resort boasts the world’s longest course, stretching the 1,365 km from Kalgoorie in Western Australia to Ceduna in the South, meaning you will need to leave plenty of time to complete your round. Known as Nullabor Links, the course sports a single hole in each town along its sprawling route, set against the backdrop of the rugged, typically Australian outback highway.

Head over to South Africa and the formidable Crocodile Golf resort is definitely not one for the faint-hearted. Known for its desert-style design, players are faced with a challenging approach to the 13^th green – a water hazard like no other – housing a fearsome 38 live crocodiles! Try it if you dare.

If man-eating reptiles don’t appeal, then why not opt for the more rewarding $1million par three, Legend Golf and Safari Resort, another of South Africa’s finest. Not only is each hole uniquely designed by a professional golfer, but the extreme 19^th Hole, if made in one, rewards the successful player with a staggering $1million. The bonus hole’s tee is perched, however, on the mammoth Hanglip Mountain, 30m away from the green – challenging to say the least. Reachable only by helicopter, it boasts a vertical drop of 430m.

Dubai’s Sand Golf Country Club, meanwhile, presents golfers with two entirely grass-free courses, known as browns. Made from compacted sand which is frequently brushed to remain true, players will also have to contend with various water hazards and bunkers around the A1 Awir and Creek courses. The resort was also home to the Emirate’s first golf course.

Finally, for the most extreme golfing daredevils, Hawaii’s Volcano Golf & Country Club sits bravely on the rim of the Kilauea volcano, the catch being this – it is still active. One of the oldest golf courses in Hawaii, the resort is situated on the brink of Hawaii Volcano Park, lying in the shadow of the Mauna Loa volcano which, from the sea floor, towers at twice the height of Mount Everest. Rumour has it that the heat emanating from the volcano’s core will make your ball fly that bit further.

Further reading

Travel guide Australia

Picture references:

1 – http://www.metro.co.uk/travel/article.html?The_hole_world_in_your_hands&in_article_id=537393

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