Harper Lin
Rez golf is a Native American twist on the traditional game of golf that is growing in popularity among the Navajo Nation. It is played on dirt fairways, with hazards including goats, sheep, horses, and red ants. Rez golf courses are often built on rugged terrain, featuring rocks, medicinal plants, and grazing livestock. The sport is known for its emphasis on community and family, as well as being a challenging and innovative twist on traditional golf.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Navajo Nation in Arizona |
| Terrain | Dirt, rocks, sand, sagebrush, tall grass, grazing livestock |
| Rules | No out of bounds, no spikes, players can smooth out rough dirt before a shot |
| Ball landing in sage | Move it the length of a golf club to avoid trampling the medicinal plant |
| Greens | Referred to as "putting surfaces" or "[browns]" due to the colour of the dirt |
| Course maintenance | Requires hard work and manual methods due to lack of resources |
| Course design | Organic, using naturally occurring hazards in the landscape |
| Course accessibility | Free and open to anyone who wants to play |
| Purpose | Community building, entertainment, family bonding, sport, health and healing |
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Rez golf rules
Rez golf is a Native American version of golf that is played on the Navajo Nation reservation in Arizona. It is played on dirt fairways and has unique rules and challenges.
- There is no out-of-bounds.
- No spikes are allowed.
- Players can smooth out rough dirt before taking a shot.
- If the ball lands in sage, players can move it a club length to avoid damaging the medicinal plant.
- Balls landing in sagebrush are considered lost.
- There are no greens, only "browns," which are constantly eroding due to high winds and require repacking.
- Tees may need to be jammed into slits cut into artificial turf if they cannot penetrate the hard ground.
- Animals are allowed to graze freely, and their dung is considered part of the course.
- There are no golf carts.
- Alcohol is prohibited.
- The emphasis is on openness and accessibility, with no barriers to entry beyond a request to clean up after yourself.
- Courses are maintained by their founders and volunteers, who spend hours keeping them in shape due to the lack of resources for commercial machinery or irrigation systems.
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Course design
Rez golf is a Native American twist on the traditional game of golf, played on courses developed on Native American reservations. The courses are usually built on rugged terrain, incorporating rocks, dirt, sand, tall grass, and grazing livestock into their design.
The course design of rez golf is heavily influenced by the natural landscape of the reservation. For example, the Wagon Trail to Lonesome Pine course, one of the best-known rez golf courses, was built on a volunteer basis by founders who cleared the land by hand. They used a tractor and shovels to create fairways and greens, or "browns," out of the dirt and compacted the dirt to create a smooth surface for putting while still allowing the ball to sink in.
Another example of a rez golf course is the Lowerville Stingers Golf Club, designed by Marvis Ben, who was inspired to take up the game after learning that retired NBA star Michael Jordan was an avid golfer. Ben designed the nine-hole course organically, using hazards that naturally occurred in the landscape, such as a steep drop-off behind one of the greens. To emulate the texture and speed of traditional grass greens, he used patches of old carpeting discarded by a nearby school.
The course design of rez golf courses often includes unique challenges not found on traditional golf courses. For example, players may have to avoid hitting their ball over a grazing sheep or horse, or they may have to deal with balls landing in anthills or cow pies. The land holds special meaning to the players, who respect it and keep human impact to a minimum, allowing tall grass to remain untouched so that animals can graze during play.
In summary, the course design of rez golf is characterized by its use of rugged, natural terrain, creative incorporation of hazards, and respect for the land and its cultural significance. The courses are built and maintained by the community, fostering a sense of connection and providing a valuable recreational outlet in areas where such opportunities may be scarce.
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Community and family
Rez golf is a community-oriented sport that fosters family bonding and social connections among the Navajo people in Arizona. It offers a unique twist to traditional golf, adapting to the challenging landscape of the Navajo Nation.
The Navajo reservation is vast and isolated, with limited access to entertainment and recreational facilities. Rez golf has emerged as a creative solution, utilising the abundant land available. It provides a sense of community and entertainment, filling a void in an area where social outlets are scarce.
The sport is accessible to all, regardless of age or physical ability, and helps promote physical and mental health. It is often seen as a healthier alternative to the temptations of drugs and alcohol, prevalent in impoverished regions. The act of playing together, surrounded by nature, strengthens family ties and provides an opportunity for social interaction beyond the confines of the reservation.
Marvis Ben, a resident of Low Mountain, founded the Lowerville Stingers Golf Club with his family. He drew inspiration from retired NBA star Michael Jordan, who took up golf after retirement. Ben's initiative sparked a movement, with similar courses popping up across the Navajo Nation, each with its unique features and challenges.
The courses are typically built and maintained by the community, incorporating natural hazards like sagebrush, rocks, and grazing livestock. The rules of rez golf are adapted to the rugged terrain, emphasising respect for the land and the cultural significance of certain plants, such as the medicinal sagebrush.
Rez golf has become a source of pride for the Navajo people, challenging the elitist reputation of traditional golf by removing barriers to entry and emphasising inclusivity. It has evolved into a competitive sport, with annual tournaments attracting participants from all over the Navajo Nation, strengthening social bonds and creating a sense of communal identity.
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Health and healing
Rez golf is a Native American take on the traditional sport, played on dirt fairways and found on the Navajo Nation reservation in Arizona. It is a challenging sport, with unique features and rules, and is played in harsh, dry conditions.
Golf, in general, has been shown to have physical and mental health benefits for its players. The physical benefits include muscular strengthening and improved balance, while the mental health advantages include stress relief and improved emotional resilience. Rez golf, in particular, offers a unique set of challenges that can further enhance these health benefits.
The act of playing golf on a rez golf course can be therapeutic. The time spent outdoors, the rhythmic motion of the game, and the physical activity involved can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. The social aspect of the game also plays a role in improving mental health, as it provides a sense of community and connection, which can be especially beneficial in remote and impoverished regions.
The physical challenge of rez golf, with its unique terrain and obstacles, can contribute to improved physical health. The uneven and unpredictable dirt fairways, the presence of natural hazards like sagebrush and livestock, and the need to adapt to the harsh conditions, all add to the physical intensity of the game. This intensity can lead to improved cardiovascular health, increased muscular strength and endurance, and better balance and coordination.
The mental health benefits of rez golf are also notable. The focus and concentration required to navigate the unique challenges of the course can enhance cognitive function and mental resilience. The social aspect of the game, with its strong sense of community, can foster emotional support and connection, which are important for mental well-being.
Additionally, rez golf can contribute to the healing and resilience of the Navajo community. It provides a sense of ownership and pride in creating and maintaining their own golf courses, challenging the elitist reputation of traditional golf. The game offers a healthy and positive outlet for individuals, helping to address issues of unemployment, scarcity of recreation, and substance abuse temptations in the region.
Overall, rez golf offers a unique blend of physical and mental health benefits, providing an opportunity for healing and improved well-being for its players, while also contributing to the resilience and strength of the Navajo community.
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Navajo Nation
The Navajo Nation, also known as Navajoland, is an Indian reservation of Navajo people in the United States. It occupies portions of northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah, and is the largest Indian reservation in the country, spanning over 27,000 square miles. The seat of government is located in Window Rock, Arizona.
Rez golf is a growing sport among the Navajo people, with courses popping up all over the Navajo Nation. It is played on rugged courses built amid rocks, sand, wind-sculpted cliffs, and grazing livestock. It is a challenging sport that requires time, patience, and money—factors that have traditionally kept people away. However, rez golf is more accessible because it is played on land that is freely available and does not require expensive equipment.
The sport is both a competitive sport and a family pastime, with annual tournaments held at golf clubs like Lowerville Stingers and Wagon Trail to Lonesome Pine. The courses are maintained by the golfers themselves, who respect the land and keep human impact to a minimum. For example, tall grass remains untouched so animals can graze while the course is in use, and balls that roll under sagebrush, a medicinal plant respected in Navajo culture, are moved without penalty to avoid harming the plant.
Rez golf has become an integral part of Navajo sports culture and community life, providing entertainment, family bonding, and health benefits for its players. It has also helped to address hunger issues in the Navajo Nation, as food is central to the tournaments with pastries, coffee, lunches, and dinners provided for players.
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Frequently asked questions
Rez golf is a Native American twist on traditional golf that is played on the Navajo Nation reservation in Arizona.
Rez golf courses are built on rugged terrain, featuring rocks, sand, tall grass, and grazing livestock. They are maintained by their founders and players using the tools they have, as water scarcity and a lack of resources make it difficult to upkeep grass and maintain the course using commercial machinery.
Rez golf rules are similar to traditional golf, but with some differences. There is no out of bounds, no spikes are allowed, and players can smooth out rough dirt before taking a shot. If the ball lands in sage, it can be moved the length of a golf club to avoid trampling the medicinal plant.
Rez golf is played for community, entertainment, family, sport, and health reasons. It is a challenging sport that provides physical and mental health benefits and is a welcome diversion in a region with over 40% unemployment and limited recreational facilities.
Rez golf courses can be found across the Navajo Nation, including in Fort Defiance, Shonto, Cottonwood, Tuba City, and Low Mountain. The Lowerville Stingers Golf Club in Low Mountain is a popular course that hosts an annual tournament.
