Pannonia Golf & Country Club

Top 100 Golf Courses revises the rankings for the Visegrad (V4) Group 2016 Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic are the latest Central European countries to receive a Top 100 ranking review Top 100 Golf Courses occasionally issues a news release relating to a consortium of nations – we’ve looked collectively in the past at courses in the Nordic region and the Benelux countries – and in this article we’re concentrating on the four Central European states that form the Visegrad Group (V4) of countries, namely Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic. It’s such a shame the global economic downturn in recent years has had such a drastic effect on golf development in Central Europe because the region had enjoyed real growth in the early years of the new millennium. The number of new courses has certainly slowed down but those that made it all the way from the drawing board to the first tee are of a surprisingly high quality and worthy of closer examination. Hungary We’ve featured a couple of Hungarian layouts in recent years, Hencse National (once known as European Lakes) and Greenfield. The former facility is currently closed due to renovation work being carried out and the latter has just undergone something of a re-branding exercise, having previously been known as Birdland. Two designs from German architect Hans-Georg Erhardt of Austrian-based Golf and Land Design now sit at the top of our Hungarian chart and they’re the 18-hole layouts at Pannonia Golf & Country Club and Balaton Golf. Water comes into play at half the holes at Pannonia and on several of the holes on the front nine at Balaton so be prepared to lose a few golf balls if you’re not on your game when you play either of these courses. Old Lake completes the Top 5 for Hungary and this championship course is laid out on an old estate which belonged to the House of Eszterházy, a Hungarian noble family that once owned great tracts of land throughout the country. The course hosted three Ladies European Tour events from 2004 to 2006 and the ESGA Senior Amateur European Championship in 2009 so there’s been plenty of top competitive play at Old Lake involving professional women and elite male golfers. To view further details of the Hungarian Top 5 click the link. Slovakia The opening of the Penati Golf Resort in 2012 raised the profile of Slovakian golf to a whole new level and the unveiling of the first 18-hole layout at this prestigious venue – the Legend course from Nicklaus Design – was just the beginning. The course entered our Continental Europe Top 100 chart for 2014, the first time a Slovakian design had ever been included, and it was a clear indication that golf in Central Europe was now worthy of recognition from a wider audience. Just two years further on, the Heritage layout – a Jonathan Davison design that opened a year after the Legend course at Penati – has followed a similar path. Such is the quality of this new track, it’s actually overtaken its stablemate to become the new national number 1 and it’s also been included in our European rankings for 2016, entering four places ahead of the Legend course at number 93. The Heritage was always destined for great things so it’s no real surprise to see the impact it’s now making. Gray Bear, a wonderful woodland course in the Tale National Park, and the tough Black River 18-hole layout at Bratislava Golf & Country Club remain at number 3 and 4 in our revised listings whilst we feature for the first time at number 5 in our rankings the course at Skalica Golf Club, situated near the Czech border, which is a 2009 links-style design from the prolific Hans-Georg Erhardt. To view further details of the Slovakian Top 5 click the link. Poland We introduced a Top 10 chart for Poland in 2012 so this is the second time we’ve revised the rankings for that country. There‘s a little movement at the top of the chart but our number 1 remains the same and it’s the Gary Player-designed 18-hole layout at the Modry Las Golf Resort, described by one reviewer last year as “a step up from other courses played on a recent trip to Poland… the course is ahead of target in terms of maturity and playability”. Our new number 2 leaps four places to the runner-up position and it’s the “inland links” course at Sand Valley Golf & Country Club, which opened for play in 2009. The owner has been extolling the virtues of this place for some time now, indicating it’s one of the best new courses in Europe, so perhaps his open invitation for a visit will have be to accepted sometime soon. Rising one place to number 3, Postolowo Golf Club is a Jeremy Turner layout which can be stretched to over 7,000 metres from the back tees. Situated half an hour’s drive from Gdansk city centre, the sandy-soiled fairways of this course were laid out in 1990 so, after only quarter of a century of operation, this makes it one of the elder statesman of Polish golf. To view further details of the Polish Top 10 click the link. Czech Republic We’ve maintained a ranking chart for the Czech Republic since 2009, increasing our coverage to twenty courses in 2014. That listing has just been revised, with assistance from more than a dozen local golf journalists who were polled to give us their thoughts on the best tracks around the country – we must thank everyone who contributed, especially Hynek Just who went the extra mile. We’re pretty confident our Czech rankings are now as accurate as they possibly can be so let’s have a look at this edition’s highlights. Still at number 1, the course at Casa Serena, a former stop on the European Senior Tour between 2008 and 2011, is one of the few Czech golfing facilities that doesn’t permit pay and play golf. It’s a pity this private club doesn’t allow even limited access as we’re sure many would appreciate the golf experience at a European Golf Design venue which one recent reviewer termed “a wonderful delight… fit for lords and kings.” The Albatross course on the outskirts of Prague has also hosted a prominent event on the European Tour professional circuit, with Jamie Donaldson winning the Czech Masters at this resort in 2014. Despite attracting some very poor reviews on this website, the course rises one place to number two in our new table, proving that local knowledge gleaned from impartial observers on the ground is worth its weight in gold. Soaring four positions to number 3, Royal Marianske Lazne is yet another former European Tour venue – the Czech Open was held here from 1994 to 1996 – and it’s the second oldest course in the country, having opened as Marienbad Golf Club with a 9-hole course designed by Scotsman Robert Doig in 1905. Fairway conditioning has been something of an issue in recent times but a new irrigation system should take care of that now. Five other courses make upward moves in the new Top 20 and the most spectacular of these climbers is Plzen, which rockets ten places up to the new number 7 spot. A Christoph Städler design that first opened for play in 2004, this course is laid out in a wooded valley on either side of the Klabava River, with the stunning par three 11th (and its island green) on Lake Ejpovice recognised as one of the best holes in the country. We have two newcomers to the Top 20, with Prosper (New) and Nova Amerika making way for the new entries. At number 11, Loreta is another Keith Preston course that follows hard on the heels of his other highly-regarded projects at Albatross and Ypsilon and the architect will no doubt be delighted if his latest Czech creation garners similar critical acclaim. Creeping in at number 20, the course at Park Golf Club Ostrava was established in the mid-1960s within the rolling parkland estate that surrounds the Rothschild Chateau so you could term it something of a classic, relatively speaking. To view further details of the Czech Republic Top 20 click the link. We always welcome comments when we publish updated national rankings so please feel free to let us know what you think of our four revised national charts. Have we left out a layout that really should be listed or have we included a course which doesn’t deserve to be there? Perhaps there’s a particular track sitting way too high in the chart or there’s one lying far too low? Please click the “Respond to this article” link at the top or at the bottom of this page if you’d like to share an opinion. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses

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

Zala Springs is our new Hungarian number one We try to keep an eye out for golf developments that appear to be a cut above the rest in Central Europe. For instance, our ranking review for the Visegrad countries in January of 2016 mentioned the wonderful new 36-hole golf resort at Penati in Slovakia, featuring a Nicklaus Design layout called the Legend and a Jonathan Davison course named the Heritage, both of which now occupy places in our Top 100 for Continental Europe. Looking to the future, we’re excited about a new enterprise currently under way in the Czech Republic which architect Kyle Phillips told us about a couple of months ago when we caught up with him at the European Institute of Golf Course Architects annual conference in Spain. The Oaks PGA National course near Prague is an integral part of an ambitious residential development that will raise the profile of golf in the region when it opens next year. Another similar high-end master planned resort, Zala Springs, was recently unveiled in Hungary and it too boasts an 18-hole championship layout designed by a world renowned American architect, Robert Trent Jones Jnr. When we heard that the European Golf and Travel Media Association was planning a visit to this new facility, we just had to make sure we were among the delegates invited to have a proper inspection of this outstanding project. The resort is conveniently situated within a three-hour drive of Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Zagreb and Ljubljana so it’s no exaggeration to describe its location as at the heart of central Europe. The spa town of Hévis and Lake Balaton lie less than half an hour’s drive away, offering lots of alternative recreational opportunities and there’s dozens of vineyards dotted around the surrounding landscape producing local wines of the highest quality that really must be sampled. The beautifully appointed clubhouse is the focal point of an exceptional amenity at the centre of the estate and the course is set around this impressive building, with fairways laid out in two returning 9-hole circuits and holes routed around the edge of the property, leaving more than adequate space for the real estate that’s now under construction. There’s also a splendid driving range and practice area with twelve covered and seventy open air bays available for warm up and tuition. Of course, it’ll take a while longer before the boutique hotel, spa, apartments and villas are all in place but already the course looks and feels as though if it’s been there for a long time, such is the ease with which the holes already blend into the natural terrain. It’s not often you come across a new 18-hole layout that seems to have matured so quickly, which merely endorses the quality of both the build and the in-house maintenance standards. Zala Springs had literally just opened its doors to the golfing public when we published our introductory Top 5 for Hungary last year however we make no apology for installing it now as the country’s number one course. Having suspected in advance that it could be something special, we engaged in a little quality control by visiting the other credible contenders around the country to see how they compared and we now have absolutely no doubt that it stands head and shoulders above all the others. The course at Pannonia Golf & Country Club was formerly lodged at the top of the tree and it now drops two places to number three in our national chart. Set out within an old country estate which once belonged to the House of Hapsburgs, the fairways weave their way around a pleasantly undulating wooded landscape that’s interspersed with small ponds but the fairway maintenance could certainly be improved at the moment. The Old Lake Golf & Hotel course resides a little further east of the capital, along the M1 motorway heading towards Bratislava and Vienna, and this delightful course is packed with interesting features. It may lack sophistication and some might think it’s a little too unpolished, nonetheless there’s a lovely feel to the place that shines through on almost every hole and it well deserves to rise one place to number four in our new Hungarian listings. It takes almost two hours to drive the 125 kilometres south from Old Lake at Tata to Balaton Golf on the northern slopes of Lake Balaton, next to the Balaton Uplands National Park. The course was chosen by the Hungarian Olympic Committee as the golfing venue for the Budapest bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics (before the tender was withdrawn a couple of months ago) and the enchanting rustic layout at Balaton Golf (recently renamed from Royal Balaton & Yacht Club) rightly remains at number two in our revised national standings. It requires another two-hour road trip, starting with a ferry trip across Lake Balaton from the Tihany peninsula, to get to Hencse National (where it’s only 40 kilometres to continue on to Croatia across the Drava River at the Hungarian border town of Barcs) and this golf operation is owned and run by one of the most remarkable octogenarians we have ever come across, Paul Banhidy. He told us he was imprisoned for political reasons under the old communist regime before being released by a new man in power, allowing him to emigrate to northern Australia, where he ran a hotel for almost two decades. Returning to his native Hungary, he decided against all advice to build a course in the south east of the country, which he managed for almost ten years before selling the business to foreign investors. In 2014, after the renamed European Lakes venture failed under the new owners, he bought the property back and set about almost single-handedly to restore the course to its former glory. The reincarnated version of Hencse National isn’t quite ready to open for general public play, though it’s not too far off, so for now it drops down the latest edition of our latest chart two places to number 5 but we’d expect the course to occupy a higher position when we next reappraise the Hungarian rankings. Rank/ To view further details of our newly updated Hungary Top 5 rankings click the link. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses