History of golf in the Czech Republic

Golf has a long tradition and a high level of standard in the Czech Republic. The first golf course here as well as in the entire Austro-Hungarian monarchy was esta- blished in Karlsbad, in the valley of the Tepla River, in 1904. Shortly after that, some of the oldest Czech courses started appearing in Marianske Lazne, Lisnice, and Motol. In the 1920's some the first clubs were founded, and more courses were being established. This tradition continued even during World War II, and throughout the totalitarian persecution of the 1950's when golf was strongly suppressed as a sport. Thanks to tradition, which developed during the era of the first Republic, and to the number of enthusiastic players, the standard of golfing facilities remained very high. After the political changes of 1989 there was a breakthrough and this sport relived its former bloom. Most of the courses were renovated and modernised, in some cases reconstructed to meet strict specific criteria. New golf courses have been created, many of them world class, headed by top professionals, such as for example the first European golf course managed by the Gary Player company. At present, new modern projects are under way and the general interest in golf is rapidly growing. The Czech Golf Federation was one of the founding members of the European Golf Federation. It currently unites over 50 clubs, the Czech Senior Association, and Czech PGA. Local courses host a number of attractive European and world tournaments at a high level of standard. Many professional players and coaches are active within the Federation.