Casa Serena

Top 100 Golf Courses revises its Central Europe rankings 2020 There are almost two hundred courses located across the five Central European countries of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. We feature thirty-eight of these golfing layouts in five national ranking lists and we’re pretty confident these courses are the best you’ll find in this region as we’ve recently visited each country. Only six months ago we were in the Czech Republic to have a look at a couple of new build projects near Prague but we also made time to check out another ten golf facilities around the country. To read the article, entitled Exciting times for golf in the Czech Republic, click the link. We’re fortunate to have a tight network of correspondents to keep us fully briefed on golf developments in this part of continental Europe so we think we have the region well covered. If you think we could do better, by all means get in touch and let us know where we could improve our coverage. Czech Republic We have a new #1 for the Czech Republic, with Casa Serena Golf regaining the top spot it had held for two ranking editions, between 2014 and 2017. Laid out by Robin Hiseman of European Golf Design, this 18-hole layout hosted four editions of the Casa Serena Open on the European Senior Tour, starting in 2008, but it’s largely flown under the golfing radar since then. In fairness, with only three members attached to the club, this very private facility doesn’t get much play, therefore it remains largely in the shadows. Casa Serena The Red course at Karlsteijn Golf Resort climbs three places to No. 4 in the new standings. Routed over a hilly, forested landscape punctuated by limestone outcrops, ravines and a couple of lakes, the course is an early 1990s Les Furber design which successfully hosted a Ladies European Tour event last year. The Canadian architect returned to fashion another nine for the club in 2006 and this newer South course is well worth considering for a game when time is tight or the Red course is busy. Karlsteijn The Radecký course at Golf & Spa Resort Konopiště (up five to #11) comprises eighteen holes at a 45-hole golf facility that lies an hour’s drive southeast of the Václav Havel Airport outside Prague. Anchored by a beautiful château that now functions as an hotel and restaurant at the heart of the golf operation, this parkland complex offers members, guests and general visitors a really entertaining experience in a lovely rustic setting. Advancing six slots to No. 12, the course at Beroun Golf Resort is another Les Furber production which followed on from his earlier work at nearby Karlstejn. Built for Korean owners a decade ago, the layout occupies 160 acres of land that was once used for military purposes, with fairways routed around four large irrigation lakes. The only new entry in our Czech Republic Top 20 is the Meadows and Forest nines at the Panorama Golf Resort, entering at No. 15. The resort only opened for business in 2017 but it’s quickly gaining a reputation as one of the “must play” golf facilities in the country. With twenty-seven holes set out across an undulating, 350-acre property, this is a serious new player on the Czech golf scene and all three 9-hole circuits return to a very stylish, modern clubhouse. Panorama The new courses at the PGA National (designed by Kyle Phillips) and Twin Chapels (where Jonathan Gaunt is the architect) are still under construction and we expect them both to make a very big impact when we revise our Czech Republic listings in 2022. Of course, there may be one or two other chart contenders vying to make the cut next time around but these two will definitely come under the spotlight. Rank/ To view the complete detailed list of the Top 20 Golf Courses of the Czech Republic click the link. Hungary The course at Zala Springs Golf Resort retains its #1 status in Hungary. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and opened for play in 2016, the layout is situated near the spa town of Héviz and its famous thermal lake, with the fairways forming the sporting centrepiece of a low density residential development. Due to its favourable location, the course is within easy access to discerning golfers in Austria, Croatia, Slovakia and Slovenia and its reputation grows with every passing season. Zala Springs To view the complete detailed list of the Top 5 Golf Courses of Hungary click the link. Poland The course at Sand Valley Golf Resort remains the #1 course in Poland. It’s been operating for over a decade now under Finnish ownership and most of the golfers who play here are from the Nordic countries, arriving through nearby Gdansk airport. The club prides itself on its four pillars for a golf holiday – “golf, accommodation, catering and service.” Year on year, increasing numbers of visitors certainly indicates the club is delivering on its pledge of providing a leading golfing retreat. Sand Valley The only course to make an upward move in the Poland Top 10 is Postolowo Golf Club, rising two places to the runner-up position at No. 2. Jeremy Tuner designed this terrific track and it can be stretched to an incredible 7,000 metres, with water figuring prominently at more than half a dozen holes. It’s a beast when played from the back markers but sensible golfers who choose their tees carefully will really enjoy their round here. Postolowo To view the complete detailed list of the Top 10 Golf Courses of Poland click the link. Slovakia The Heritage course at the Penati Golf Resort fends off a strong challenge from the Legend layout at the same 36-hole facility to hold onto the No.1 position in our Slovakian rankings. As a reviewer posted just a few months ago after playing at Penati: “there is little to choose between the different courses… both are well designed, well-conditioned and easy to walk… Play both. Travel out of your way to play them.” There you have it; play Jonathan Davison’s Heritage layout and the Jack Nicklaus-designed Legend course then make your own mind up as to which is the premier 18-hole track at a very impressive golf complex. Penati - Heritage course To view the complete detailed list of the Top 8 Golf Courses of Slovakia click the link. Slovenia The King’s course at Royal Bled Golf Club is still the #1 layout in Slovenia. Originally laid out in the late 1930s, it was re-designed by Donald Harradine in the early 1970s before a recent two-year renovation by Swan Golf Designs saw the course lengthened, greens and bunkers rebuilt, and several new water hazards introduced on the back nine – all of which resulted in the King’s course entering our Continental European Top 100 standings two years ago. Royal Bled - King's course To view the complete detailed list of the Top 5 Golf Courses of Slovenia click the link. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses

Our Czech Republic panel has been extended for this chart release, allowing us to gather more opinions (and local knowledge) which has led to the introduction of ten new chart entries in an expanded Top 30 national listing. Only five courses make modest upward moves in the table and each of them are mentioned below. Twelve courses drop down the chart and three remain in the same position but we start first of all with the big news of a new national #1. PGA National The Kyle Phillips-designed PGA National Czech Republic course on the Oaks Prague residential estate outside the capital is the first of our ten newcomers, crashing straight into the chart at number one. The 18-hole layout was constructed in two phases over a four-year period, with the official launch – which we attended – taking place in August 2020. We first saw the course when it was half built the year before and even at that early stage we knew it was destined for the very top… Ypsilon The 18-hole layout at Golf Resort Ypsilon (up one place to #6) is located outside the city of Liberec in the north of the country, close to the border with Germany and Poland. First opened for play in 2006, the course is a Keith Preston production with holes set out as two returning nines across a hilly landscape, providing a rather entertaining walk in a wonderful parkland environment. Uniquely, the club offers ten boathouses as stay and play options on the lake next to the 9th hole. Panorama The small market town of Kácov is famed for its Hubertus brewery which uses water from the Sázava River as it flows past the premises. Less than a 5-minute drive away you’ll find the Libor Jirásek and Rainer Pressmann-designed Panorama Golf Resort (up two places to #13), where three contrasting nines opened for business in 2017, complemented by a boutique hotel above the clubhouse, along with adjacent bungalows as further accommodation possibilities. Loreta Half an hour’s drive from Panorama lies another Keith Preston design at Loreta Golf Club outside Pyšely (up one place to #15). Unveiled in the summer of 2013, the course is draped across a beautiful landscape, incorporating hedgerows, mature trees and wetland areas into the fields of play. For visiting golfers looking for an early tee time, there are twenty-four beds available in eight double rooms and two suites on the second floor of the clubhouse. Kunětická Hora The East Bohemian course at Golf & Spa Kunětická Hora (up three to #16) is situated 125 kilometres east of Prague, between the towns of Hradec Kralove and Pardubice. It’s a rare European layout from Graham Marsh (characterised by large clover-shaped bunkers) that first opened its doors in 2007 with several holes routed around a large central lake. The on-site hotel offers 142 beds in fifty-seven rooms, apartments and suites. Kaskáda Two hundred and fifty kilometres south of Kunětická Hora in South Moravia lies the 27-hole Kaskáda Golf Resort (up one to #17) which is positioned outside the city of Brno. Designed by Jonathan Gaunt and debuting in 2007, the complex boasts three 9-hole circuits, two of which (Wooden and Stone) we cite as the 18-hole layout of first choice. There are also fifty rooms and suites available for visitors, together with a wellness and spa centre. Šilheřovice The Park Golf Club Ostrava course at Šilheřovice is the highest placed of the remaining chart newcomers at number 21. The 18-hole layout is set in an exquisitely landscaped park, the dominant feature of which is a lovely old chateau that was the property of the Rothschild family from 1844 to 1945. The course was built during the Communist era in 1968 to a Jan Cieslar design, when it became only the third 18-hole layout in the old Czechoslovakian nation, after Royal Mariánské Lázně and Karlovy Vary. To view the entire detailed list of our latest Top 30 Golf Courses of the Czech Republic click the link. View list here. If you have any comment to make on the above article then please use the “WRITE A RESPONSE” link at the bottom of this page. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses

Outstanding Golf Resorts in Central Europe We began our look at resort golf twelve months ago in Portugal’s Algarve region. We’ve since been round the Mediterranean to a variety of places on the Spanish Costas, Belek in Turkey and the island of Mallorca. Venturing further south, we’ve looked at courses in Tunisia, Marrakech in Morocco and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic. Only France and Italy from the more “mainstream” European nations have appeared in this series so it’s now time to cast the spotlight on a few other central European countries with great resort offerings. The weather window for playing here is shorter but the golf product is often as good as you’ll find in the hotspots that we’ve previously written about. Czech Republic – Beroun Host venue for the last three editions of the Czech Ladies Open, Royal Beroun Golf Club is situated 30 kilometres southwest of Prague city centre, with an entertaining Les Furber-designed parkland golf course which is complemented by a fabulous, multi-function clubhouse. The club’s website calls this an “ambitiously dimensioned” building and that’s exactly what it is, featuring a restaurant, private clubroom, wellness and fitness centre with an outdoor pool, and a large conference room. The boutique hotel occupies the upper floor of the clubhouse, with seven double rooms and two deluxe rooms. Slovakia – Black Stork  Positioned close to Poprad in the southern foothills of the High Tatra Mountains, the Black Stork Golf Resort at Vel’ká Lomnica operates a 27-hole facility which has evolved from the original 9-hole setup unveiled at the start of the new millennium. The course lies within the Tatra National Park in an unspoilt landscape with sensational mountain views in a clean, fresh air environment. The on-site Hotel International offers accommodation in twenty-eight double rooms (one of which is specially adapted for less mobile visitors) and one suite. The wellness centre includes indoor and outdoor pools, a whirlpool, steam room and sauna, along with a fully equipped gymnasium. Austria – Diamond Austria’s only European Tour Destination venue, Diamond Country Club has staged the Austrian Open since 2010 on its Jeremy Pern-designed Diamond course. There are actually thirty-nine holes in play at this facility, with the main 18-hole layout complemented by the 9-hole Park and 12-hole Country courses. The club’s 42-room onsite Aparthotel affords spacious accommodation and easy access to the golf courses and the twinned 4-star Diamond City Hotel on the south bank of the Danube in nearby Tulln provides guests with another city stay alternative. Hungary – Zala Springs  Located close to the small spa town of Hévíz, which is famous for its large thermal lake, the Zala Springs Golf Resort boasts an 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Junior as its sporting focal point. Opened for play in 2016, the complex now includes a boutique spa with swimming pool, classic steam cabin and authentic Finnish sauna. Accommodation options close to the clubhouse include Junior Suites and Golf Studio Suites with Terrace. For larger groups, there are Grand Premium Family Suites comprising two bedrooms, a large living room, modern kitchen and dining room. An artisan breakfast and use of the spa is included for every stay. Slovenia – Royal Bled Dating back to 1937, when the Yugoslav King Aleksander Karađorđević chose Bled as his summer residence, the golf course at Golf Resort Royal Bled has attracted players from far and wide. Donald Harradine re-designed the layout in the early 1970s then another 9-hole course was added in the 1990s. Only five years ago, Swan Golf Designs upgraded the main 18-hole King’s course when the firm carried out an extensive renovation to completely revitalize the course’s fortunes. Like both Diamond Country Club and Zala Springs, Royal Bled is a member of the IMG Prestige global network. The accommodation extends to ten elegantly furnished rooms upstairs in the King’s House clubhouse, along with four double rooms in the adjacent Lake’s House which can be configured for families or groups hiring out the entire building. Switzerland – Bad Ragaz Golf Club Bad Ragaz was founded in 1905 and down the years the club’s golfing ground has been worked on by three generations of the Harradine family: Donald Harradine’s stepfather improved the original 9-hole course in 1925, Donald himself constructed the existing 18-hole layout in the mid-1950s then his son Peter Harradine subsequently added the 9-hole executive track. The golf facility lies on the floodplain of the River Rhein so the wooded landscape’s a bit flat but the towering mountain surroundings make this one of the most picturesque places for the older professionals to tee it up when they compete in the annual Swiss Seniors Open on the Legends Tour. The adjoining Grand Resort Bad Ragaz contains three high-end establishments: the Grand Hotel Quellenhof & Spa Suites; Grand Hotel Hof Ragaz; and the Palais Bad Ragaz. In total, there are 247 rooms and suites allocated across these three hotels. In addition to the associated thermal pools, saunas and fitness equipment in the wellness centre, the resort operates a medical centre staffed by an Interdisciplinary team of more than seventy doctors and therapists.  Germany – Bad Griesbach Quellness & Golf Resort Bad Giresbach (renamed in recent years from its original Hartl Resort title) in Bavaria is the largest golf complex in Europe, with ten different golfing layouts and a massive circular Golfodrom training centre. Two of Bad Griesbach’s five 18-hole layouts – the Brunnwies and Beckenbauer – were designed by Bernard Langer and both are listed in our German standings. Three 9-hole courses, a 6-hole “hacker’s” track and a 6-hole children’s short course completes the golfing line-up at this impressive operation. There are a total of 105 rooms available for stay and play on the Brunnwies, Penning and Uttlau estates in addition to three superior hotels at the resort: the 5-star Maximilian (205 bedrooms); the 4-star Fuerstenhof (145 bedrooms); and Das Ludwig (168 bedrooms). If you have any comment to make on the above article then please use the “WRITE A RESPONSE” link at the bottom of this page. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses