10 strangest, oddest, and most bizarre golf courses in Kansas City
1. Hole-in-the-Wall Golf & Grill
Tucked behind Joe’s Auto Body on 12th and Rust Street, Hole-in-the-Wall Golf & Grill offers golfers a uniquely gritty experience. Each of its nine holes navigates around abandoned car parts, old tires, and a grill firing suspiciously smoky hot dogs. The signature hole—the treacherous par-3 “Windshield Wiper”—requires players to chip directly over a rusty ’88 Buick. Owner “Oilpan Eddie” greets every guest personally, proudly explaining, “Other courses use sand traps; we prefer oil slicks. Golf should be about survival as much as skill.”
2. Overland Park Office Park Links
Set on the rooftop of an otherwise unremarkable corporate office building, this 18-hole “executive” course challenges players with cubicle walls, ergonomic chairs, and the ever-changing obstacle of bored office workers. The water hazard on hole five is actually a malfunctioning coffee machine overflowing onto the putting surface. Regular golfer Hank Reynolds noted, “There’s nothing quite like hitting your tee shot past a copier jam and onto the HR department’s putting green. Beats actual office work any day.”
3. Cementland Greens at the Old Cement Factory
Situated inside Kansas City’s abandoned cement factory near Industrial Avenue, Cementland Greens is known for its rock-hard fairways and concrete bunkers. Balls bounce unpredictably off exposed rebar and crumbling silos, turning simple approach shots into wild ricochet adventures. The course’s highlight, the “Cement Mixer,” requires players to aim directly into a rotating cement drum. Resident golfer Wanda Mason admitted, “It’s brutally difficult, sure, but my drives now ricochet beautifully—and I’ve really toughened up my short game.”
4. Fountain City Waterlogged Course
Celebrating KC’s unofficial title as the “City of Fountains,” Fountain City Course is entirely submerged beneath three inches of gently flowing water, making every shot a splash hazard. Water shoes and snorkels are strongly encouraged. The notoriously difficult 14th hole, “Poseidon’s Revenge,” features floating greens that drift casually downstream, requiring players to chase after their putts in small paddle boats. “On a hot summer day, there’s nothing like golfing knee-deep in a city landmark,” sighed frequent player Todd Gillywater.
5. BBQ Pit Masters Mini-Golf Extravaganza
Adjacent to legendary Gates BBQ on Main Street, this aromatic mini-golf course lets golfers putt alongside smoking racks of ribs and briskets. Instead of flags, each hole ends with a sauce-stained apron. Hole number nine is particularly tricky—known as “The Smoker,” it’s permanently engulfed in hickory smoke. Local player Max Caldwell commented, “It’s the only course where birdies come with burnt ends. But watch your backswing—getting tangled in rib racks is a real risk.”
6. The Haunted Fairways of Raytown
Claiming to be built over a forgotten pioneer graveyard, Raytown’s Haunted Fairways embrace their spooky past. Ghostly whispers guide golfers to each tee, and spectral figures reportedly applaud politely after decent shots. The fifth hole, famously known as the “Poltergeist Par-4,” features golf balls mysteriously rolling away after stopping, drawing frustrated cries of “Really, Harold? Again?” from regular patrons. Manager Alma Creepers insists cheerfully, “Our ghosts are quite encouraging—unless your swing is terrible, then they’re relentlessly sarcastic.”
7. Midwest Tractor Pull Golf Challenge
Located just outside city limits, this unconventional course combines golf with tractor pulling. Golfers must carefully time their shots between roaring tractors dragging weighted sleds across fairways. Players have learned to shout “Fore!” over deafening diesel engines. Hole three, affectionately named “John Deere’s Fury,” involves hitting an approach shot from atop a vibrating tractor seat. Golf enthusiast Larry Trumpler declared proudly, “Nothing improves your swing tempo like a tractor barreling down at you mid-swing.”
8. KC Library Bookworm Greens
Set within Kansas City’s main library, this quirky indoor course weaves between towering shelves of dusty encyclopedias and romance novels. Golfers whisper putter selections as stern librarians enforce strict noise regulations. The par-5 “Encyclopedic Challenge” requires reading a random page aloud before putting, often dramatically affecting players’ concentration. Longtime patron Mavis Page admitted, “It’s the only course where missing your shot also means facing a deeply disappointed librarian shaking her head.”
9. Suburban Living Room Links
Privately owned by eccentric retiree Daryl Bramble, this peculiar course snakes through his suburban ranch home. Players navigate couches, antique lamps, and two sleepy golden retrievers who barely acknowledge balls bouncing off their backs. Each hole ends in a makeshift cup cut into Daryl’s carpet. After a particularly tricky shot through the dining room’s china cabinet doors, Daryl cheerily states, “Breakages are included in the greens fee, don’t worry!”
10. Kauffman Stadium “Royal Tee” Experience
Only playable when the Royals aren’t in town, this unusual golf course utilizes the famous baseball diamond as its fairway. Golfers tee off from home plate, putting directly into holes dug strategically around the outfield warning track. The dreaded ninth hole, “Batter Up Bogey,” requires hitting a golf ball off the pitcher’s mound over the scoreboard. Longtime Royals fan and golfer Rick Bunting summarized, “Hitting a hole-in-one into the bullpen is the most exciting thing to happen here since 2015.”
