When the shipping business of Swede Sven Olav Brax diversified in the early 1990s with the acquisition of a sizeable 3,700-acre Polish farmstead, nobody at the time would have believed such a move could lead to the present day Bonowo Park golf complex.
Located just outside the Baltic seaport of Szczecin in the north west of the country, the 27-hole golf facility – formerly part of the farm that still produces cereals and potatoes – started out with a short 9-hole executive course and driving range before the 18-hole course was added the following year.
Binowo Park measures just over 6,500 yards from the back tees, with five par threes and five par fives on the scorecard. Water only comes into play on the front nine at the par four 9th hole but on the inward half, all but three of the holes (10, 12 and 16) have greens guarded by water hazards.
Swedish sporting legend Sven “Tumba” Johansson – who represented his country at ice hockey, football and golf between 1952 and 1973 – officially opened the course in September 2000, with guest of honour Princess Birgitta of Sweden in attendance.
