Royal Bled Golf Club
Club information
Royal Bled Golf Club is located in Slovenia
Royal Bled Golf Club
Location in Slovenia
Coordinates46°22′19″N 14°08′09″E / 46.3720°N 14.1358°E / 46.3720; 14.1358
LocationBled, Slovenia
Established1937, 86 years ago
TypePublic
Total holes27
Events hostedSlovenian Open
Websiteroyalbled.com/en/golf
King's Course
Designed byRudolf von Gelmini (1936)
Donald Harradine (1972)
Howard Swan (2017)
Par72
Length7,275 yards (6,652 m)
Lake Course
Designed byDonald Harradine
Gerold Hauser (1995)
Gunther Hauser (1995)
Par36
Length3,332 yards (3,047 m)

Royal Bled Golf Club (Slovene: Kraljevski Bled Golf Klub) is a 27-hole golf facility in the Municipality of Radovljica in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia.

History

The club is located in Bled, a small town surrounded by the dramatic mountains of the Julian Alps near the border with Austria, about 50 km (31 mi) northwest of the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana.

In the second half of the 19th century the historical town of Bled, famous for glacial Lake Bled and the iconic Bled Castle perched on a rock overlooking the lake, developed into a health resort, attracting nobility and wealthy guests from all across Europe. King Alexander I of Yugoslavia chose Bled as his summer residence in 1922, due to its mild climate.[1]

Austrian Rudolf von Gelmini designed the original layout and in 1937 the first nine holes of the course was completed, marking the birth of golf in the region. In 1938 it became the only 18-hole course in Yugoslavia prior to the Second World War. After the outbreak of the WWII, the course was largely abandoned until its resurrection by Donald Harradine in 1972.[2]

In 2014, Howard Swan was commissioned by new owners to bring the course up to modern standards while respecting the original heritage. In 2017, the King's course reopened after a 2-year renovation that saw considerable updates made to the original layout. At a combined 80th anniversary and re-opening ceremony, Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia hit the first ceremonial shot and bestowed Royal status upon the club.[3]

The facility comprises the 7,275 yard 18-hole Championship King's Course, and the 3,332 yard 9-hole Lake Course.[3]

In 2020, Golf Digest ranked the course the best in Slovenia.[4]

Notable tournaments hosted

The club has hosted both amateur and professional international championships, including the Slovenian Open.

Professional

YearTourTournamentWinnerRef
1997CHABTC Slovenian OpenSweden Kalle Brink[5]
1998CHABTC Slovenian OpenEngland Warren Bennett[6]
1999CHABTC Slovenian OpenAustralia Grant Dodd[7]

Amateur

References

  1. "About". Royal Bled Golf. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  2. "Slovenia: Royal Bled". Today's Golfer.
  3. 1 2 "SGD Redesigned Royal Bled Opened by HRH Princess Jelisaveta Karadordevic". Golf Business News. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  4. "The Best Golf Courses In Every Country". Golf Digest. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  5. "1997 BTC Slovenian Open". European Tour. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  6. "1998 BTC Slovenian Open". European Tour. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  7. "1999 BTC Slovenian Open". European Tour. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
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