Golf in Slovakia
Think of Slovakia and you don't think of golf. But times are changing. 15 years ago, there were few courses in what is now the Czech Republic, and now there are dozens; Slovakia isn't as far advanced but it is getting there.
The best known course is at Tale, the Gray Bear Golf Club. Set in simply stunning scenery this is a superb course which presents a tough challenge to players. We know it, we've played it often and we strongly recommend the hospitality of the course, of the hotels nearby, of the restaurant at the 18th. In May 2010, the course hosted the 2010 Allianz Ladies Slovak Open - which had a prize fund of €350,000.
Play it in springtime and you can ski in the morning and
golf in the afternoon. The on-course Hotel International is a modern hotel in the European style and includes the pro shop where golfers sign in. Walk-in golfers will find it quite expensive compared to Scotland for a course of this quality; 18 holes and a trolley will cost around about 75 Euro but golf generally is expensive in Slovakia.
It's better to go for a package. For example, a 4 night stay offering 5 days unlimited golf will cost around 370 to 400 Euro per person including breakfast. But don't expect the full Scottish breakfast (eggs, bacon, potatoes, baked beans, sausage, black pudding, fried tomatoes) which in some places will keep you going until dinner.
The course is laid out in 3 nines; Village, Panorama and International. There's a good mix of parkland and water and it's a fair challenge. The opening holes on the Village are, perhaps a bit open and monotonous but judicious placing of some water makes them tricky. How the SI was arrived at is a mystery as the SI 1 (is it the 5th?) is not as much of a test as the dogleg 8th. But these are minor issues - go there and have a wonderful golfing experience in amongst some of Europe's most beautiful scenery. You won't be disappointed.
The Bratislava Golf and Country Club is at Bratislava-Bernolákovo, 5km outside Bratislava. It has long had a 9 hole course in the grounds of the associated mansion. But now there is the Black River 18 hole golf course as well as the 9 hole course. Black River bills itself as the hardest golf course in Europe; why would a club want to do that? It doesn't attract business. It's a long course being 6,843 metres with 14 lakes and a slope rating of 155. Clearly not for the faint-hearted.
25kms from Bratislava is the town of Báč. It now hosts the 18 hole Golf Club Welten with an associated hotel. 9 holes were opened in late 2007 and 18 in 2008. Rates are good, between €45 and €60.
Still in the west of Slovakia is the 9 hole course at Piestany . Only 9 holes but it has the advantage of having some first class spa hotels on the doorstep. Worth a visit for the spas alone.
Košice has, or had, a 9 hole course at Alpinka, on the outskirts of the city. It was a quirky course, shoe-horned into a public park where sometimes lovers lay entwined while golf balls rained amongst them