A Glimpse at Golf
on America’s Military Bases
By John Kornahrens
I have always despised the idea of rolling up to play golf through a gate into a country club or exclusive community. It symbolizes the lack of access to a lifelong game that is justly being talked about more and more today. Yet for the past 5-10 years, I have started a vast majority of my rounds by pulling through a gate.
These gates, however, are manned by mostly young men and women not older than 25, each of whom has an M-4 rifle slung around their shoulder. You must show them your ID; they may search your car; and often, a police dog might be within sight. There is zero sneaking on for a quick nine at this course.
Playing golf on a military installation is a unique blend of a pure municipal golf course and corporate campus recreation. In one sense, an on-base golf course is as muni as it gets. It’s run by a support unit that also oversees the bowling alley, the dining hall, and the gym. Booking an 1130 tee time on a Wednesday could lead to some parking issues. That’s only because it’s a nice day and everyone around base has come to the course to order lunch and enjoy it on the patio. The parking lot also has spots reserved not for club champions, but Generals and Commanders, that sadly never seem occupied.
The driving ranges are mostly mats, and the balls can seem like they predate the Iraq War. The practice greens can be a quarter-mile walk away, or in the middle of a roundabout. Nonetheless, you will almost always seem them being used. I once saw a colonel at the driving range in full uniform and combat boots, whacking balls midday on a Thursday. He couldn’t have been taking more than 10 seconds between exclusively driver swings for a good 30 minutes. I’m not sure what happened in his office that day, but I think he felt better after returning from his lunch break.
On the course, there is a common bond that flows through each group. Everyone is somehow connected to the military and the mission of the base. Retirees telling you about the good ol’ days is a standard. There are also military spouses, independent contractors, brand new recruits on swing shift, or people just passing through on a work trip. The course architecture, if you can really call it that, is just whatever the perimeter fence can allow. I have played beautiful par-5 holes that meld with the natural landscape, or others where the landing area is a service road.
The military presence during a round is always there, though. Planes flying overhead is a given at an Air Force base. Shots are backed off for F-15s doing a low approach, or a C-130 formation doing a low-level arrival back into base. The twilight rounds have the inevitable half time of retreat. Around 16-1700, the base plays the anthem as the honor guard lower the flags. Overseas, you can get the bonus of the host nation’s anthem as well. Each golfer stops and removes their hat as the loudspeakers all over blast the music. The anthem concludes, and someone inevitably yells, “Play Ball!”.
The culture of on-base golf around the military is unique, friendly, and refreshingly laid-back. It has always been a staple of the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation units of each installation. I am always saddened to hear when another base closes its course, however financially justifiable it is. Many have partnered with public courses off-base, which is a great compromise. But there is something special about pulling through the gate, popping a salute to the guard, and teeing it up sometimes a block away from your work.
John Kornahrens is an Air Force pilot who is on a personal journey to an unknown golf destination. He’s a self-proclaimed data guy who can be reached at kornahrens.john@gmail.com.
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