Costa Navarino – where great golf in Greece just got even better
We were in Greece at the end of 2017 attending the annual congress of the PGAs of Europe – since renamed the Confederation of Professional Golf – which took place at Costa Navarino in Messinia. At that time, the venue had two courses in operation: the Dunes championship layout, designed by Bernard Langer with Ross McMurray of European Golf Design, and the Robert Trent Jones Jr- designed resort-style course at nearby Navarino Bay.
There was talk at the time about building an eco-friendly clubhouse for the Bay course and plans were at an advanced stage for the construction of two new 18-hole layouts on hillier ground further inland from the Navarino Bay area. Well, fast-forward four years to last month when we revisited Costa Navarino to discover the full extent of exactly what’s been going on since we were last there.
The stunning, award-winning earth-sheltered Bay course clubhouse opened in 2019 and work is currently proceeding on an ultra-luxury hotel immediately adjacent to the golf layout, with 99 suites and pool villas due to open later this year, along with an exclusive beach club, large swimming pool, destination spa, plus a variety of restaurants, bars and terrace spaces overlooking the historic Bay of Navarino.
As if that wasn’t enough in terms of building work on site, the new Navarino Waterfront development is also taking shape next door and this enterprise is also scheduled to debut in 2022, offering a 250-bedroomed hotel and a contemporary version of a traditional port town, including a waterfront ‘Agora’ (marketplace) with retailers, artisan food outlets and lagoon pools.
Those ambitious new projects will drive the future use of the site but, of more pressing concern for us, was the need to see the two new courses which now complement the original Dunes and Bay layouts. Designed by two-time Masters champion and Ryder Cup legend, José María Olazábal, the International Olympic Academy Golf Course and Hills course now double the number of 18-hole layouts at the resort.
Set high above the historic Bay of Navarino in the rolling hills that lie just a 5-minute drive from the bay clubhouse, the two courses are laid out across a rather bleak, rock-strewn landscape which must have been a very difficult place to set out thirty-six holes. Indeed, many truck- loads of topsoil were transported in from the bay area to fashion the fairways by the Greek contractor AP Maragakis, the company that previously built the Dunes and Bay courses.
Matthias Nemes, co-founder and Managing Partner of Olazabal Design, introduced José María Olazábal to the assembled group of media and tour operators who’d been invited to play the International Olympic Academy Golf Course before it officially opens this February. Standing close to the back-to-back par three tees at the spectacular 12th and 16th holes (set along the edge of the escarpment on the western edge of the site), Ollie had this to say:
“I first came to Costa Navarino around six years ago when they were looking for a designer for the two new courses planned at Navarino Hills. My team and I all absolutely love the region here and we put in our very best effort to win the design job. Obviously, we were very happy when Achilles Constantakopoulos (chairman of Temes, the developers of Costa Navarino) chose us.
“The views are absolutely stunning, not just across the historic Bay of Navarino but also towards the mountains in the background. This sets the tone for the whole site and gives it a very strong character amidst the garrigue vegetation which is typical for the Mediterranean. Costa Navarino has found an absolute jewel with this property and they are trying to develop it sensibly with great focus on protecting the environment.
“The International Olympic Academy Golf Course has stunning views over Navarino Bay and is the longer and tougher of the two courses. It’s more compact and, in style, a bit posher than the Navarino Hills course. Navarino Hills has a more rural feel and takes you into the outback where you can enjoy a stroll in beautiful nature.
“Costa Navarino is already well known around the world but what the two new courses will do is to lift it from the status of a golf centre to being a full golf destination. With four golf courses, Costa Navarino will appeal to the global golf-travel market and I’m sure it will be successful in attracting many new guests.”
Olazabal Design lead architect Toni Ortner worked alongside José María on the project, ensuring the courses and state-of-the-art practice facilities blend seamlessly with their wonderful surroundings. The routing required a minimum disturbance approach regarding earthworks and forest clearing to create holes that are rich in variety and natural looking, using swathes of local grasses and scrub that grow on-site to blend with the areas of manicured grass.
Existing rock walls and rock outcrops were brought into the design, along with beautiful olive trees – many of which are hundreds of years old – and these prominent local features are used as strategic elements on a number of occasions. Nearly every hole is played in splendid isolation, in complete harmony with nature, to continuously maintain a sense of anticipation during the round.
We were well impressed with our subsequent round on the International Olympic Academy Golf Course, despite the fact we were unable to play the last two holes due to a thunderstorm that blew in. The following day, we arranged a quick buggy tour of the Hills course (still growing in and lacking sand in the bunkers) and this new layout, if anything, looks as good as, if not better than, its new stablemate!
It’ll be very interesting to see which of these two courses up in the hills emerge as the preferred option for visiting golfers once they’re both up and running from February 2022…
Many thanks to The Azalea Group for organizing the visit and to Aegean Airlines(a member of STAR ALLIANCE, the largest global airline consortium) for flight sponsorship to and from Athens.
Jim McCann
Editor
Top 100 Golf Courses
We embarked on our revision of European national rankings in March 2022 so it’s taken more than a year – and sixteen chart updates – to arrive at the stage where we now round up the remaining eight countries, most of which feature less than ten golf courses. Six of these listings are headed by the same course as last time but two (Lithuania and Russia) have a new number 1 at the top of the table. Greece – Navarino Dunes We start in Greece, with the Dunes course at Costa Navarino retaining the #1 spot. The first of four 18-hole courses to appear at the resort since 2010, this layout from Bernhard Langer and European Golf Design still sets the standard for all the others. Both the International Olympic Academy and Hills layouts at the same venue enter our Greek chart at #2 and #5 respectively. The Kilada Hills course by Nicklaus Design opens soon and may feature in our next chart edition. Click the link to see the entire list of ranked courses in Greece. View the chart here. Bulgaria – Thracian Cliffs The course at Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort remains our #1 track for Bulgaria. Situated on the Black Sea coast, this Gary Player design is one of the most spectacular golfing experiences in all of Europe, with holes laid out on a narrow sliver of land between high cliffs and a rugged coastline. Nearby BlackSeaRama and Lighthouse make this a great golfing destination within easy reach of Varna airport. The new development at OKOL Lake Park opens soon in Sofia and we plan to check it out next year. Click the link to see the entire list of ranked courses in Bulgaria. View the chart here. Slovakia – Penati The Jonathan Davison-designed Heritage course at the Penati Golf Resort is still our #1 for Slovakia, just edging out the other 18-hole layout at this impressive facility, the Jack Nicklaus-designed Legend. If ever there was a golfing destination with a high-class pair of contrasting 18-hole courses to enjoy then this is it – compare and contrast these two then make your own mind up which you prefer. We’ve added the course at Welten outside Bratislava to our Slovakian chart and it debuts at #8. Click the link to see the entire list of ranked courses in Slovakia. View the chart here. Slovenia – Royal Bled The King’s course at Royal Bled Golf easily holds onto its #1 status in Slovenia. Golf at this location goes back as far as the late 1930s when a 9-hole course was first constructed. Donald Harradine redesigned the layout in the early 1970s but it took an extensive 2-year renovation by Howard Swan in 2015-16 to fully realize the potential of the property. The wonderful 9-hole Lake’s course at Royal Bled also makes a chart entrance at #4, just behind Arboretum which is currently closed for major renovation work. Click the link to see the entire list of ranked courses in Slovenia. View the chart here. Russia – Raevo The course at Raevo Golf & Country Club climbs two places to become our new #1 in Russia. A Jack Nicklaus Signature design, it lies in a densely wooded area close to Moscow, with sand-capped fairways expertly routed around a dammed section of the Reka Nakhavnya water course. Operated by IMG, Raevo offers a high-end playing experience. We’re adding four new courses to our Russian listings, led by the Cal Olsen-designed Agalarov near Moscow at #7. Click the link to see the entire list of ranked courses in Russia. View the chart here. Estonia – Pärnu Bay The 18-layout at Pärnu Bay Golf Links holds onto its #1 ranking in Estonia. Laid out by Lassi Pekka Tilander, the course occupies a narrow strip of land in a fabulous coastal setting where the heavily forested landscape meets the sea. Often flanked by expansive sandy wasteland areas, the fairways weave in and out of small lagoons in a rather unique golfing environment. We’ve also added the courses at Otepää GolfCenter (#5) and Rae Golf (#7) to our Estonian table. Click the link to see the entire list of ranked courses in Estonia. View the chart here. Latvia – Ozo The course at Ozo Golf Club in Riga is still our #1 in Latvia. Established twenty years ago by former NHL player Sandis Ozolinsh, the layout was designed by Rob Sedberg of Frontier Golf, transforming a former landfill site near Lake Kisezers into a top-class golf complex which also includes a driving range, together with chipping and putting practice facilities. Click the link to see the entire list of ranked courses in Latvia. View the chart here. Lithuania – Capitals Located an hour’s drive west of Vilnius, the course at Capitals Golf Club takes over at the top of the Lithuanian chart, moving up one place from the runner-up position. Little soil was shifted by Peter Chamberlain when he fashioned the fairways in the early years of the new millennium, so holes are sympathetically set across a mix of largely undisturbed wooded terrain and open countryside dotted with lakes and streams. Click the link to see the entire list of ranked courses in Lithuania. View the chart here. We’ve also included the course at National Klaipeda in our updated Lithuanian standings at #2. 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
Additional resort golf options in southeast Europe We had a good look at Belek in Turkey recently in our resort golf series and we return to the southeast of Europe to cast an eye on some other attractive options in that region. On the continental coastline, we’ll visit Greece and Bulgaria as well as heading to the Mediterranean islands of Cyprus and Crete. It’s probably a bit late to think about going to any of these places this year but they’ll all still be there in 2023, just waiting for visiting golfers who don’t mind travelling an extra few miles to play with the sun on their back. Costa Navarino Costa Navarino in Greece’s Messinia region is fast developing into one of the top golf destinations in all of Europe, boasting four signature 18-hole layouts. The Dunes course (pictured above) was first to arrive here in 2011, designed by Bernhard Langer with Ross McMurray of European Golf Design. It’s located alongside two 5-star hotels – The Romanos and Westin Resort Costa Navarino – and complemented by a stylish clubhouse, spa, conference centre and a wide selection of gastronomy venues. Less than a 15-minute drive away lies the Bay course, which appeared a year after the Dunes, with Robert Trent Jones Jr. as its architect. This is a more forgiving track that its older sibling, anchored by a wonderful earth-sheltered clubhouse overlooking Costa Navarino Bay. Close to the layout sits the Mandarin Oriental hotel, due to debut next Spring, along with the recently opened W Costa Navarino within the new Waterfront development, featuring 246 rooms, villas and suites. Continue another 3.5 kilometres south of the Bay clubhouse and you’ll come across the latest two courses to appear at Costa Navarino, both of which were laid out by the design company of legendary golfer José María Olazábal. Serviced from the same newly constructed clubhouse, the International Olympic Academy course (pictured above) and the Hills course occupy a rugged hilltop site, with the former offering fantastic panoramic views of the Bay of Navarino and the Ionian Sea beyond. So, four very different golfing experiences at one superb destination (with convenient flights in and out of nearby Kalamata airport) – what’s not to like about this place? Crete Crete is situated around 250 kilometres to the southeast of Costa Navarino in the Mediterranean and it’s the largest and most populous of the many Greek Islands. Golf has only been played at Crete Golf Club since 2003, when Bob Hunt from PGA Design Consulting designed eighteen holes amongst the hills of Hersonnisos. The on-site hotel comprises 25 suites but there are more than thirty partner hotels associated with the club so playing here as a non-resident is not a problem. Unfortunately, the original plan to construct another twenty-four golf courses on Crete came to nothing but it’s worth seeking out the 9-hole par three course at Porto Elounda Golf & Spa Resort for an alternative golf experience. Aphrodite Hills Continue east and you’ll arrive at the island of Cyprus, where there are a number of good golf options available. The Cabell Robinson-designed layout at Aphrodite Hills is another early new millennium layout, accompanied by the 5-Star Aphrodite Hills Hotel which offers 290 rooms located in various annexes amidst a beautiful garden complex. The European Tour’s inaugural Cyprus Open was staged here in 2020 when Cyprus became the 50th country visited by the men’s professional circuit. A recent reviewer thought the “rugged terrain (was) probably not suited to a golf course (with) carts mandatory due to long distances between holes routed across and around large valleys” but they conceded that “the layout was a spectacular visual feast with high quality conditioning.” It would be remiss not to mention some other local Cypriot golf facilities to check out: Secret Valley is situated about 5 kilometres away and on the other side of Paphos airport you have the Nick Faldo course on the Eléa Estate and the Donald Steel course at Minthis which has recently been renovated by Tom Mackenzie. We now travel 1,000 kilometres north to the port city and seaside resort of Varna on Bulgaria’s Black Sea. Lighthouse Drive less than an hour northeast from Varna airport and it brings you to three golf facilities that are located very close to one another on the coast, between Balchik and Kavarna. The first of these is the Lighthouse Golf & Spa Resort, designed by Ian Woosnam with European Golf Design, where the club celebrated ten years of successful golf operation in 2018 by hosting a Legends Tour event. For accommodation, the venue offers 180 double guest rooms and four penthouse suites. A recent 4-ball review mentioned that “at certain parts of the course (there are) absolutely staggering views off the edge of the cliffs looking down on Thracian Cliffs.” BlackSeaRama Immediately next door, occupying the same clifftop setting, the course at BlackSeaRama Golf & Villas is a Gary Player design that opened its doors to golfers about the same time as Lighthouse fourteen years ago. The resort is centred around a 20-room boutique hotel and villas positioned close to the clubhouse, along with a wellness centre, sport centre and tennis courts. Last year, a reviewer commented about the course: “there are a couple of standout holes, especially the 18th which is an amazing long par three and worth the green fee just for that hole.” Along with Lighthouse, the club recently co-hosted the 18th edition of the Bulgarian Amateur Championship and the 12th staging of the Bulgarian Senior Championship. Thracian Cliffs It takes less than 10 minutes to drive from BlackSeaRama to Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort, where accommodation is based in two separate areas: six residential buildings comprising the Marina Village and ten buildings that make up the Hillside Village. The course is another Gary Player layout which came into play three years after BlackSeaRama first welcomed visiting golfers. Holes are set out on a dramatic, narrow tract overlooking Argata Beach and Bendida Beach, with thrilling elevation changes and stunning scenery. The last review for this course pretty much sums up the feelings of many who have teed it up here: “I have played many great courses in the world and, although I wouldn’t say this is the best course I have played, it is the most spectacular by a mile! If there is a better-looking course I have yet to see it. Every hole has a spectacular cliff top view and it’s breath taking from start to finish.” Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses
PGAs of Europe Annual Congress and ITC at Costa Navarino, November 2017 PGA Leaders and Professionals from twenty-eight member countries of the PGAs of Europe joined together recently for the 2017 Annual Congress and International Team Championship at Costa Navarino in Greece, raising the bar once again for the Association’s flagship event. The first staging of these two events in the heart of Greece’s Messinia region was hailed the best yet by Annual Congress delegates and ITC competitors, with a varied and engaging programme of events, outstanding levels of hospitality, service and cuisine – and a couple of excellent golf courses which were enjoyed in fine weather. Congress sessions included a wide range of speakers and subject matter, ensuring a strong mix of presentations, discussions and forums, with breakout sessions and workshops each day designed to keep delegates on their toes. “National Collaboration & International Guidance” by PGA of Norway's Anders Thelberg and “Pros and Cons of Volunteer Coaching” by Kyle Phillpots from the PGA of GB&I were two of the topics on offer during the first full day of congress, along with talks from Tony Bennett on GoGolf Europe (a European Commission-funded trans-national partnership on sport, health and participation), and Alastair Spink of Love.Golf, which encourages female participation in golf and currently has twenty-four clubs involved in this development around the UK. After lunch, delegates then had the opportunity to play in round 1 of the President’s Challenge Golf event, a shotgun start 9-hole competition on the Bay course, where twenty-two pairs of golfers representing the President and the Chairman played against each other in eleven match play ties. In the evening, a joint education event with ITC competitors was held with Jamie Gough, the PGA of South Africa Professional and coach to players such as Hao Tong Li and Andy Sullivan. The renowned tour coach took part in a Q&A session with PGAs of Europe Education Committee Chairman, Jonathan Mannie, who asked a number of questions before inviting attendees to contribute to a very informative session. Day 2 of the congress began with Costa Navarino’s wellness team delivering a golf stretching session aimed at reinvigorating the delegates and teaching them simple, yet effective exercises that can be used not only for golf but in everyday work and life. They were then allowed to sample Interleague.golf on The Dunes Course short game area, enabling them to trial a new initiative from the PGAs of Europe and GSA Golfsports. This was followed by an overview of the successful Golf Foundation and European Tour-led Golf Sixes Academy. The morning was then rounded off with an in depth presentation from Mark Brooks of Thomas International entitled “Developing Personal & Business Performance” which shone a light on to working and personal styles, characteristics and behaviours, showing how this can affect the relationships that attendees have with their respective PGAs and other organisations. After lunch, delegates once again had the chance to play in round 2 of the President’s Challenge Golf event, played on the back nine of the Bay course, with a short prize giving and sponsor networking session taking place back at the Dunes course clubhouse once the golf was finished. The third and final morning of congress began with the Annual General Meeting, followed by a discussion on attaining European Education Level System recognition and an introduction to the PGAs of Europe Travel Club’s new partner Golf Escapes. Bill Owens then presented the most thought provoking address of the entire congress. Living in France since 1991, Bill’s objective with his Golf Educatif programme for young people has been “stimulating social integration and sharing civic responsibility through golf… not only to share the rules and etiquette of the game but also, and probably first and foremost, social and moral values like self-respect, the respect of others, the environment and all other forms of civic responsibility.” “Ultimately, our young golfers are invited to develop other ‘noble’ qualities like humility, fair play, honesty and dignity. Concentration, coordination and discipline enter naturally into the configuration. All children, regardless of their age, sex, size, handicap or background get access to a (physically and mentally) healthy and educationally enriching activity… also, and importantly, integrating those with a mental and/or physical handicap into society” Bill takes the game to the people by using school yards, football pitches, public parks, even derelict land to lay out short courses, collaborating with schools, public services and golf clubs to provide construction materials. If ever there was a grass roots golf scheme that deserved wider support then Bill's Golf Educatif is just that very project. Ralf Putter from the PGA of Germany then talked about what was involved in obtaining his MSc in Research and Instruction in Golf before Johan Hampf from the PGA of Sweden asked the question “What can we learn from Golf Development in Costa Rica?” Johan concluded the formal sessions of congress along with three colleagues during a workshop called “Developing the PGA to Influence the National Market”. Running simultaneously to the Annual Congress, the 2017 ITC was played out over The Dunes Course at Costa Navarino, where the eventual 3-man winning team, the PGA in Ireland, triumphed by an astonishing sixteen shot margin over joint runners up, the PGA in Scotland and PGA in Holland. Teams representing PGAs of a hundred or less members also competed within the ITC event for the International Team Shield and home nation the PGA of Greece came out on top for their first Team Shield win and a very commendable sixth place finish overall. The week culminated with the presenting of six Annual Awards at the Gala Dinner in the evening, held in The House of Events, which celebrated individuals deserving recognition for their work in the sport. There were two President's awards for golf development, the first of which went to Bill Owens, with the second given posthumously to Liam Duggan, the 37-year-old professional from County Limerick who tragically died earlier this year from a rare form of colitis, and this token of recognition for his golf coaching in Irish schools was accepted by his widow, Catherine. Scott Evans, managing director of The Centurion Club, also picked up an award, as did the aforementioned Jamie Gough from South Africa. A special recognition award was given to Sam and Tom Ryder-Smith, the grandsons of Sam Ryder, with Donato Di Ponziano collecting the final award of the evening for services to the game. The Gala Dinner was supported by Rolex, one of several Corporate Partners who assisted during the week. Along with Costa Navarino’s incredible hosting, BMW provided transfer services and Aegean Airlines acted as Official Airline Partner, offering preferential rates to all delegates and competitors. The Ryder Cup Development Trust also continued its support of the Annual Congress, assisting the activities that took place during the week and ensuring the Association’s members have the opportunity to share knowledge, resources, and experience within the network. The Botanist, The Blue Beetle, Bulldog, and G’Vine gins, together with Fever-Tree Premium Natural Mixers, supported the Welcome Reception with a fantastic gin tasting evening, whilst Marendry apperitivo provided the pre-Gala Dinner cocktail reception.
