Golfclub Zell am See - Kaprun - Saalbach

Uttendorf-Weißsee, Salzburg

The facility, which is situated on former cattle pastures, offers an excellent foundation for great golf play with its idyllic biotopes and park-like forest islands. Even the golf editors of the British golf magazine 'Golf Monthly' were impressed by the Austrian golf holes, choosing the course among the 'Best 25 Holiday Courses of Europe'. This accolade particularly pleases the founding family Holleis, who laid the foundation for the Austrian golf paradise during a Kneipp (hydrotherapy) holiday in the 1980s! Gisela and engineer Wilhelm Holleis were bored during a wellness holiday, and as passionate golfers, they looked for the nearest golf club to their hotel. As hoteliers, they offered their guests in Zell am See plenty of wellness, dreamlike ski slopes, and excellent gourmet food, but a golf course was missing. After returning from the holiday, the story took its course. In 1983, Donald Harradine created the first 18 holes of the course in Zell am See-Kaprun; the Englishman, alongside his German colleague Bernhard von Limburger, was one of the most important golf park planners in Europe. Only five years later, the course was expanded to 27 holes. The final expansion of the current 'Kitzsteinhorn' course to 18 holes was completed in 1993 according to plans by engineer Hermann Schauer, a member of the golf club. This increased the total offering to 36 holes. The course record on the original 'Schmittenhöhe' course has been held since 1992 by German Bernhard Langer with 66 strokes. On this course (par 72), men play over a total distance of 6,218 meters, while women cover about 750 meters less. On 'Kitzsteinhorn' (par 73), players must move the white ball as few strokes as possible over a total of 6,146 meters (women 5,421 meters). But not only professionals enjoy Kitzsteinhorn and Schmittenhöhe. Ambitious amateurs and beginners also benefit from the diverse training offerings of the local golf academy, which provides tips for the correct swing with the help of PGA-certified trainers. The practice area around the clubhouse includes a large driving range with generously covered teeing grounds, chipping and putting greens, as well as several training bunkers. After group lessons, private lessons, or the two-day VIP course, even 'Rabbits'—the term for golf novices—are ready for a skilled shot. After passing a practical and theoretical exam, they finally receive the coveted course qualification, making them welcome guests at the next Rabbit tournament or one of the approximately 60 competitions held during a golf season in Zell am See-Kaprun.