Cocos Islands Golf Course

The golf course on West Island is laid out around and across the airstrip, which means several holes are played over the runway and everything stops when an aircraft is due. Play resumes once the plane is down and clear. It is a nine-hole course on coral sand with coconut through it, run by the local club, and the arrangement is unusual enough that people play it for that alone.

What you actually see

• The runway crossing - fairways laid out across the airstrip.
• The stoppages - play halted whenever an aircraft is due.
• The coral sand ground - the surface the course is built on.
• The nine holes - the full round on the island.

When to go

April to October is drier and the course is in better condition. Flights govern when play is possible. The wet season makes the ground soft.

Honest expectations

Play stops for aircraft movements and that can mean a long wait. The course is basic and conditions are rough by mainland standards. Arrangements go through the local club rather than a booking system.

Nearby

The airport is alongside, and the settlement is north.