March 2nd, 2009
Alpine golf
A new world of golf awaits you in western Austria, a region destined to become one of Europe’s most exciting summer golf destinations. Ski in the morning, play 18 holes in the afternoon, then indulge in a relaxing massage or bubbling spa - a golfing trip for the mind, body and soul.
For golfers looking for something a bit different from the well-tramped fairways of Spain and Portugal, two of the country’s key golf areas, Zell am See in Salzburgerland and Kitzbühel in the Tyrol (both within a short drive of each other), have all the right ingredients: chic ski towns, top-class restaurants, friendly locals, spa and wellness treatments, a multitude of outdoor activities and invigorating stress-free golf.
From quirky nine-holers to championship-class designs, the golf courses are mostly quiet, the green fees affordable and because of the altitude, well struck shots can fly an extra 10% of distance through the crisp clean air. However, the absolute essence of Alpine golf is the breathtaking scenery and the panoramic vistas that unfold as you play.
GOLF AND SKI
The trip begins with Zell am See Golf Club at Kaprun in the Salzach Valley, which is not only the largest golfing facility in the Austrian Alps but boasts a well-stocked pro-shop, driving range and excellent teaching professionals. With the snow-capped mountains of the Hohe Tauern National Park rising to 3,797 metres in the distance, it’s one of the most picturesque in Europe.
It’s a sunny June morning and Karl Bauer, Events Manager and two times Club Champion is joining us to tackle 36 holes over the Kitzsteinhorn and Schmittenhöhe courses, and gets proceedings underway by expertly splitting the fairway on the 357-metre Par 4 1st of the Kitzteinhorn course.
“On a beautiful day like today, I like to have breakfast, take the cable car to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier to ski, come back down, take a swim in Lake Zeller, then finish off with a round of golf in the afternoon. For me, it’s a perfect day,” says Karl as we stroll the vivid green fairways lined with wildflowers.
Designed by Donald Harradine, the two parkland-style courses are situated beside each other on the valley floor, and feature water on several holes, huge bunkers and distinctive old hay barns that dot the fairways. The Kitzsteinhorn course is worth playing just for the stunning view from the wooden bridge that leads across a lake from the 10th tee to the 11th green. One could spend all day gazing at the reflected vista of the green and glacier-swathed mountain.
SPA FOR THE COURSE
Austria more or less invented the spa town, and indulgence by the rich and famous made these resorts some of the most famous in Europe. The popularity of the treatments has led to the rise of over one hundred Wellness Hotel complexes scattered throughout the country.
A comfortable and convenient base for golfers is Zell am See. Located near the shores of picturesque Lake Zeller is the five-star Hotel Salzburgerhof, which like many other wellness hotels, offers special golf and spa packages that include reduced green fees and a variety of therapeutic treatments.
“When we first opened in 1967 we were one of the first places to offer massage, cosmetic and facial treatments. We always try and find a selection of the best and latest for our guests,” says owner Gisela Holleis. “For example, we are now offering the Hawaiian massage ‘Lomi Lomi’, which goes deep into the psyche, and can help release tension and anxieties. In fact, it’s perfect for golfers”.
“We have plenty of golfers staying at the Salzburgerhof and it’s great for couples. The wives are very happy because they can stay at the best address in town and take all the treatments, while the men go off golfing for the day. Everyone wins,” says Gisela.
GOLFING CENTRE
About an hour’s drive over a mountain pass to the north-west of Zell am See, is the medieval town of Kitzbühel - a cosmopolitan ski resort in winter and another excellent base for Alpine golfers in the months of May to mid-October. In fact, Kitzbühel markets itself as the ‘Golfing Centre of the Alps’ offering four courses, while another nineteen all lie within an easy drive.
A few kilometres out of town is Golf Club Schwarzsee where a British professional and his team operate a friendly service to all-comers. Opened in 1989 with an exhibition match between Bernard Langer and Payne Stewart, the first few holes of the par-72, 6,642-metre test are reasonably forgiving parkland. One standout hole is the challenging 187-metre par 3 9th, which requires a solid and accurate strike over a lake from the elevated tee blocks. From here on the course climbs the hillside through the pine trees and becomes more challenging.
Schwarzsee’s 19th hole is a lovely sunny terrace with magnificent views of the Astberg, Rauherkopf and Wilder Kaiser Peaks. We order a couple of chilled beers that go down as smoothly as a top-class skier. If you hear a local player talking about the 20th hole, what insiders are referring to is the nearby Schwarzsee Lake, a wonderful spot for relaxing, swimming and sunbathing before or after a round.
Packing away our clubs on our last day, we are already discussing a repeat journey - with images of the stunning scenery and well-struck drives soaring towards a backdrop of pine-tree clad mountain slopes firmly etched in our minds. One famous Austrian who spent some time in spa-golf country sums it up the best. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s entry in the Golf Hotel Rasmushof’s Guest Book simply says: “I’ll be back.”