The Svalbard Wildlife Service is taking over the Ice Golf concept, now dubbed the Spitsbergen Open, after previous sponsor Drambuie moved on to other exotic events. The tournament, from 10-14 April next year, requires a range of unusual equipment, including colored balls and rifles.

"A nine-hole course is being built in the Advent Fjord just a few days before the participants arrive on Svalbard. And because of the extreme cold the players will be brought in to a mandatory lunch in a heated tent after nine holes, before playing another round," said Arne Kristoffersen of Svalbard Wildlife Service.

Last year's edition drew 34 players, including several professionals. The championship began in 1999 and was arranged in Greenland the first years before unpredictable ice conditions moved the event to Svalbard.

Armed guards keep the polar bears at bay while the golfing takes place, and specialist equipment is highly recommended. Tinted goggles are needed to prevent snow blindness, and colored golf balls are advisable if you want to have a chance of making a second shot. Clubs should have shafts of steel, since graphite shatters when exposed to extreme cold and force.