Royal Beroun

With more than fifty Canadian construction projects to his name, Les Furber is one of North America’s most successful modern architects and his European creations include a couple of Swiss courses and the renovation of a layout in Germany.

Furber, an associate of Robert Trent Jones Snr in the 1970s, also features a couple of Czech Republic courses in his design portfolio, Karlstejn and here at Beroun; both of which lie within ten miles of each other to the south west of Prague in Central Bohemia.

The fairways at Royal Beroun occupy a 160-acre site that once housed a military installation and they were first brought into use in 2009. Four irrigation lakes were installed during construction of the course and they play a part in proceedings at the opening and closing hole on each nine.

The par five 5th is rated the toughest hole on the card, measuring a meaty 518 metres from the back tees, whilst the short par four 13th – a hole that doglegs uphill almost 90 degrees to the right – is one to watch out for on the back nine.

Les Furber’s office supplied us with the following article:

Golf Design Services was contracted in late 2006 to provide architectural supervision over the construction of an 18-hole golf course for Beroun Golf Club. Partners Les Furber and Jim Eremko were familiar with working in the Czech Republic having designed and constructed the nearby Karlstejn Golf Club in the 1990s then expanded that facility with the addition of a third 9-hole loop in 2007.

The Beroun course resides on a former military base near the city of Beroun in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The 160 acre site is highlighted by rolling hillside, mature trees, and spectacular views of the city of Beroun and the surrounding countryside.

Featuring some 75m elevation changes, the site allowed for the construction of a golf course which fits the natural contours of the land with minimal earthmoving. Excavation of approximately 3.5 hectares of lakes provided the fill material for the construction of bold greens, tees, and bunker complexes with strong contours and the strategic playability that is the signature of a Les Furber/ Golf Design Services course.

Construction proceeded throughout 2007, with the final planting completed in early 2008 and the course officially opening for play in May 2009. The par 72 course offers an excellent variety of five par 5 holes, five par 3 holes, and eight par 4’s, full driving range and practice facilities. Four sets of tees ranging from 4556 metres to 6078 metres provide a fun and challenging course to golfers of all abilities.