Monachus (Mnich) - Czech Republic

Opening to great acclaim in 2001, the 27-hole Monachus Golf Resort lies close to the Austrian border in a delightful area known as Czech Canada. Here the terrain is rather hilly, covered in dense forests, rocky outcrops and unspoiled natural lakes.

The town of Nová Bystøice sits just to the north of the golf complex and is the terminal for a narrow gauge railway line to the beautiful Bohemian town of Jindøichùv Hradec. Steam trains puff back and forth during the summer season, adding a wonderful atmosphere to a visit here.

The 9-hole Nová Bystøice academy course at Monachus is a very good warm up layout for those who want to get their eye in before tackling the 7,200-yard, par 73 Mnich championship track.

Designed with tournament golf in mind by Austrian Gerold Hauser, the 18-hole Mnich is an enormous course carved out of the wooded slopes and many of the holes are framed on either flank by large mature trees. Huge stones and boulders are also dotted around the property but, thankfully, they rarely present themselves as hazards.

The left doglegged par four 5th is the toughest hole on the front nine whilst back-to-back par fives at holes 12 and 13 are stamina sapping tests early on in the back nine. The 531-yard 13th is regarded as Mnich’s signature hole. The second longest par five on the scorecard, it has a pond protecting the green front right with two bunkers on the left to punish over cautious or pulled approach shots.

The 36-hole Haugschlag golf resort in Austria sits a few miles away across the border and is well worth incorporating into a golfing trip to this neck of the woods.