A group of determined golfers have set out to tackle the world’s longest course, the Nullarbor Links, which snakes through vast tracts of the inhospitable Australian Outback.
Kym Woods, secretary of the Ceduna Golf Club, said the opening tournament for the course — with 18 holes at towns and service stations spread over 1,365km — had kicked off in South Australia.
“The competition is in progress,” he told AFP.
Woods said the players were aiming to complete three or four more holes at stops along the drive from Ceduna to Border Village some 450km to the west.
The Nullarbor Links, which spans two time zones and measures more than the entire length of Britain, features synthetic tees and greens plotted along a red desert landscape better known for dingoes and kangaroos than golfers.
The par-71 course, designed to attract tourists to the desolate Nullarbor Plain on Australia’s southern coastline, ends in the remote mining town of Kalgoorlie.
Along the way, the golfers will be able to visit the tourist highlights of the region including whale-watching along the Great Australian Bight and a working sheep station.
Project chairman Don Harrington said he had been encouraged to build the course by support from golfing enthusiasts from Australia and around the world.
“This is the longest golf course in the world. It’s unique terrain, there’s something for everybody,” he told AFP earlier.
(AFP)
一群意志堅決的高爾夫球選手已展開征服世界最長球場──「紐拉柏高球場」的挑戰，這座球場蜿蜒在杳無人煙的廣大澳洲內陸。
「塞杜納高球俱樂部」幹事凱姆．伍茲說，該球場的開幕錦標賽已在南澳開賽，這座球場的十八個球洞遍布於方圓一千三百六十五公里的數個城鎮和公路休息站間。
他對法新社表示：「比賽正在進行中。」
伍茲說，選手們的目標是要在「塞杜納」往西到「邊界村」這段約四百五十公里的球道上，再完成三、四洞。
跨越兩個時區、總長超過英國國土的紐拉柏球場，其特色是人造發球區和果嶺散布在以澳洲野犬、袋鼠而非高球員聞名的紅色沙漠上。
這座標準桿七十一桿的球場，最後一洞位於偏遠的礦城卡爾古利；該球場的設計是為了促進澳洲南部沿海荒涼的紐拉柏平原之觀光發展。
沿途，高球選手可以走訪當地觀光名勝，包括在大澳大利亞灣賞鯨及參觀牧羊農場。
計畫負責人唐．哈靈頓說，他是受到澳洲及全球各地高爾夫愛好者的支持鼓勵，才興建這座球場。
他稍早對法新社表示：「這是全世界最長的高球場，這裡有獨一無二的地勢，能滿足每個人的需求。」（法新社╱翻譯：袁星塵）
Picture a 45-foot-long animal with a 5-foot-long skull and 3-foot-long arms. It may not seem strange until you realize that a human with those proportions would be 6 feet tall with 5-inch arms. Although the Tyrannosaurus rex went extinct 65 million years ago, the mystery of its unusual body __1__ has fascinated scientists for over a century. Barnum Brown, the paleontologist who first discovered T. rex fossils, initially found it hard to believe that the tiny arms belonged to such a __2__ creature. One of his colleagues speculated that the short forelimbs might have been used to hold the
Photographer Franziska Stuenkel likes to take spontaneous urban shots, so she needs a nimble camera that is ready to go when inspiration strikes: her German-made Leica M11. “I have to be very quick and discreet,” said the Berlin-based artist who captures reflections of people walking past windows, their contours merging with the shapes behind the glass. Stuenkel’s compact Leica is the perfect camera for the job, the 51-year-old told AFP. Famous for its pocket-sized and retro-style devices, the Leica brand is celebrating a milestone as it marks 100 years since its first commercial camera was presented to the public. The
A: Actually, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is particularly good for small people like you. B: Really? How so? A: According to Diana Wang, a US doctor of physical therapy, the BJJ’s purpose is to help smaller, weaker people defend themselves by using various techniques, such as leverage. B: That sounds interesting. What time does Dr Wang’s BJJ seminar begin tonight? A: The event is scheduled for 7:30pm at PMA Brazilian Jiu-jitsu in Taipei. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. A: 其實你的個子比較小，很適合練巴西柔術呢。 B: 真的嗎？為什麼？ A: 據美國理療醫師王幼瑞博士說，巴西柔術的概念是讓弱小的人，也能利用槓桿作用等技巧防身。 B: 真有趣，王醫師的巴柔研討會幾點開始？ A: 今晚7點半在「台北巴柔運動館」，免費入場自由樂捐唷！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
Dogs’ noses are incredibly keen. They can even detect changes in cortisol levels in human sweat and breath. Known as the “stress hormone,” cortisol increases when humans are under pressure. Recent research indicates that the smell of human stress can influence a dog’s behavior and emotions. In the study, human volunteers were exposed to the stressful tasks of preparing and delivering a speech on the spot and then solving math problems. __1__ Researchers collected sweat and breath samples from the volunteers on pieces of cloth during both their stressful and restful states. Meanwhile, other researchers worked with 18
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