Krakow Valley, Poland, hope to build a golf tradition in Europe
Golf is a game that rests heavily on tradition. Imagine looking back 20 years on the game and seeing…nothing.
Such is golf in Poland, a country of 38 million but just 2,500 registered golfers. That’s like saying L.A., Chicago, New York and some change have just 2,500 golfers (Bethpage Black probably sees that amount every Saturday).
There was only one course prior to World War II in the whole country, then the communists came in (not golf fans apparently) and the game was banned. After the revolution in 1989, golf was once again available, but with no culture and no money, who’s got 18 holes on the brain?
I’m in Krakow the next few days at the Krakow Valley Golf & Country Club, the only 18-hole complex within 120 kms of a city of 800,000-plus. One of the club’s attempts at increasing the game’s awareness is by offering free Sunday clinics to kids and adults.
Is it Scotland yet? Hardly, but there’s some beautiful terrain and tons of potential. More to come on GolfEurope.com and WorldGolf.com when I return.
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4 comments
Of course your friends the communists aren't enamored of golf; you should know that.
- Before II World War there were in Poland 3 golf course and at least 3 more under construction - you may forget that Poland those days were much much larger ( covering part of Lituania, Bielorusia and Ukraine).
- Today in Poland there more then 10.000 fans of golf ( 50.000 are eager to play) playing for pleasure with 2.500 golf players registered in the Polish Golf Union playing for competitions.
- Close to Kraków there are two more 9 holes courses and one 18 holes ( in Chestochowa).
- Beginings are always hard but golf requires assistance at any moment of the game especially for a new comers - at least such an attitude is a habit in this country. Such experienced golf expert should encourage such destinations to develop golf in their countries.
- I hope that next step will be the appeal to the golf world to assist Poland to develop golf sooner then ever.
Let us start with positives of Polish golf:
- In Poland you may meet three golf referees with the R&A certificate and one of them was a member of referee team during The Deutche Bank Players Championship of Europe in 2005.
- In Poland there were invented one of the best edited golf oriented monthly "Golf & LIFE" published in Polish & English as well as a beautifull handbook Golf Vademecum (olso in Polish & English),
- Rules of Golf Polish edition have received the top acceptance of R&A
- Postołowo Golf Club was elected to the 50 most beautifull golf courses of Europe.
- in Poland in September 2006 in Warsaw the Guiness record will be broken in building the biggest ever wooden golf tee ( golf tee like object 3,5 m high ).
Regards
Welcome to Poland
Poker
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