Why is Poland ignored when talking about European Golf Courses?

[Bob Ward]

Poland now has 16 full sized golf courses of 18 holes or more and at least 5 of these are of championship standard, and yet when most people consider golf in Europe, Poland is not an option!!  When you consider the cheap flights from UK, Germany and Scandinavia, especially to Gdansk where there are at least 3 superb courses including Sand Valley Golf Resort - the first inland links course in Poland, and the cultural aspects of the country, cheap alcohol and inexpensive villas to rent, this should be a must on any golfers itinerary for Europe and the Baltic states.

Prague used to be the place to go for weekend breaks, then it was Budapest, now Riga.  It looks like it went straight past Gdansk which linked with Sopot and Gdynia (Tricity area) forms an area of culture, beaches and great open air festivals and of course GOLF!!!

Will someone please explain the mentality of tour operators like GolfBreaks.com who have decided that "Poland is not an area we are looking to develop now or in the close future"?

Yesterday in Gdansk was 28 degrees, and this is the norm not the exception and there are no longer "bears on the streets" as one UK operator expressed!!

 

[Marci Diehl]

Hi Bob,

 

Your question caught my eye!

Last year, I was asked to write a guest blog post for Sharing Travel Experiences that featured about 11 of the world's most inspiring golf courses. I found them through posting a query on HARO and got about 60 responses from all over the world. I still have a bunch that I would like to write about.

 

That post became very popular. I'm a former PGA Tour wife and in the past wrote for Golf Digest, Golf, and Score in Canada. I now have a blog Changing Your Grip and because of the response to the post on golf courses, I plan to develop a page on my blog devoted to interesting courses around the world. Other pages will explore the people, places and things around the courses, for those people who don't play golf (like me!) but are traveling with golfing friends, partners, spouses.

 

Would you like to write a guest post on the blog about the courses in Poland? I think it's pretty fascinating.

 

Marci

[Margaret Andrzejewska-Bancewicz]

Dear Marci,

 

As a former tour operator , Gdansk - based person I would be happy to assist you and make all people interested in playing golf in Poland.

 

I do hope that together with Bob and his team we can make it work out pretty well.

Best regards,

Margaret

http://www.toursbylocals.com/GdanskPrivateTourGuide

 

[Marci Diehl]

HI Margaret,

 

I would love to put together a post on the courses you and Bob Ward have talked about. What I'd need is your email address, and high-resolution photos (I always credit photos). 

I see in  your comments that you lack good PR and experts able to present these courses and info about what the area offers for visitors -- I think I can help with that! Certainly I can help with a blog post and share that on social media for reach.

I'll start by looking at the links you provided and also bringing Bob Ward into it for his input.

I'd like to get this done fairly soon, to launch my "On Course(s)" page on the blog. Love to learn about European courses!

Keep in touch,

 

Marci

 

[Vacation Rental By Owner]

Count on us. We will be happy to write post on your blog after or during our trip to Poland in August. We were ask by friend from Jack Necklaus office about land to build golf course in Zakopane area, but land is over there very expensive right now. Any way my dream is to build golf course to promote Zakopane for people like my husband.

[Margaret Andrzejewska-Bancewicz]

Hope you will manage to visit Gdansk this time. The place is unique and has so much to offer in August starting with St. Dominic's Festival (ends on 20 August), Mozartiana Festival (17-20 August) , summer live concerts and last but not least the Polish Presidentsy in the UE with accopying cultural events in Sopot.

Fee invited to Sopot!

[Vacation Rental By Owner]

Thank you for your offer.

We live by the Ocean all year around, and mountain, Zakopane, Krakow is a very nice change for us. Also I have lovely house there. I do have very nice memory from years ago about Gdansk and Mazury. It is realy lowly place and I believe golf courses are great like everything in Poland.

Love Poland

[Bob Ward]

Hi Marci,

 

I would love to share experiences.  I have been in golf management for 12 years in 4 countries and golf in Poland is still very young and needs a lot of nurturing and as the only "professional" manager I feel that I can bring a lot to the table.  Unlike any other "western European" country, there is a feeling that golf is expensive, elitist and exclusive and my idea is to make golf inclusive rather than exclusive and to do this I have lowered the prices so that they are available to all group, even locals who wish to try.  My main aim during this year is to introduce golf to the masses, and maybe to find the next Polish Tiger Woods or Luke Donald.  Not being a "bloggist" do I need any special password to add to the blog or can I just add my small informations?

[Marci Diehl]

Hi Bob,

Basically what I'd need is some information from you and just your reply gave me some nice facts. I'd need your website or some kind of link to include. I will do the writing for the post. Just the fact that you've been in golf management for 12 years in 4 countries is interesting.  As I told Margaret, I look for high-resolution photography  -- the blog has a " magazine" feel.I always credit photographs. After I write a post, I will broadcast it through social media for reach.

Right now I just need more background, and a way to get that. What works for you? Do you want to write up some thoughts on courses, golf in Poland? Or I could write up some questions.

My email address is: [e-mail]  -- best to reach me that way.

Thanks for jumping in!!

Marci

 

[Margaret Andrzejewska-Bancewicz]

Dear Bob,

I do agree with your opinion. Golf courses in Poland are highly attractive and reasonably priced. As far as Gdansk it is an ideal place for golf packages as golf players can visit 3 golf courses and attended tournaments. They offer much more not only for golfers but also for families. In the vicinity there are major attractions such as Gdansk , a great Hanseatic City , the Craddle of Solidarity movement, one of host cities of EURO2012  and lots of new projects. In a driving distance there is Malbork (Marienburg) Castle listed in the UNESCO Cultural Heritage, one can arrange nature and widlife tours, local cruises and much, much more.

We lack good PR and experts able to express and present the above to the golf professionals, tour operators and/or amateur players all over the world.

[Vacation Rental By Owner]

We live in Florida in golf comunity, so any time we go to Poland /visit my family/ we have to play golf.

We usealy stay few days in Krakow and most days in Zakopane St. Stanislaw House or Villa Pod Smrekami. From both this location we take trips to 

Krakow Valley Golf & Country Club, Paczoltowice A 18-hole golfcourse in Paczoltowice near Krzeszowice.           Park Golf Club TJ Nova Hut, Ostrava, CZECH REP. Very charming parkland-type golf course located very close to the polish border.      Golfovy Klub Tale, Tale, SLOVAKIA The first 18-hole golf course in Slovakia. Stunningly beautiful, yet very demanding. A must-see for anyone visiting central Europe.      Lomnicky Golfovy Klub, Velka Lomnica, SLOVAKIA Yet another slovak 18-hole golf course, located beautifully in a vicinity of Tatra mountains.

There are more golf courses that we never try yet. Rosa Golf Club, Konopiska Creme de la creme of polish golf courses. A unique experience is guaranteed if you spare a day to come and play there.

Nearby 9-hole courses   (2) Nearby 18-hole courses   (6) We going to Zakopane in the begining of August and we looking for partners to play. Our index about 12

[Marci Diehl]

I love all the links and photos! One of the problems for me that I can see is not being able to read the websites of the courses! I'd definitely need your help in translating and appreciate your descriptions. That's what I'm looking for. Have a wonderful trip and keep in touch!

Marci

[Vacation Rental By Owner]

Unfortunetly both picture from Slowacia golf course. I will search for one from Poland, if not I will have planty when I get there. My husband is very good photographer, he was photographer  in Princeton years ago.

Jula

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