Bohemian Rhapsody: Golf and Spas in West Bohemia
“West Bohemia is not a top golf destination. But if you like spas and dramatically beautiful countryside, pack your sticks and enjoy a dozen pleasant, easily accessible parkland tracks.”
Golf in West Bohemia became popular on the back of spa! With over 200 mineral springs that can heal everything from golfer’s elbow to gout, it’s clearly a good, healthy option. Not sure if it’ll sort out my duck hook or chicken wing - but you never know!
The Spa Triangle
The heart of West Bohemia is its famous "Spa Triangle," comprising the three historic towns of Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně, and Františkovy Lázně. Easily accessible from Prague, you can reach Karlovy Vary in just under two hours. Along the way, you might spot courses like Cihelny Golf Club, just south of Karlovy Vary. While interesting, it doesn't quite match the calibre of the more established courses in the region.
Karlovy Vary Golf Club
For an immersive golf trip, basing yourself in Karlovy Vary is an excellent idea. The town boasts its own prestigious course, Karlovy Vary Golf Club. While the original 9-hole course opened in 1904, the current 18-hole layout, inaugurated in 1933 on a different site, is considered the top course in the area. At a challenging 6,800 yards and par 72, it offers a solid test, with tight, tree-lined fairways and a few intriguing blind shots. Popular with corporate groups from Prague and Germany, the service is generally excellent, though you might experience a leisurely pace in the dining room (they did forget my steak!).
Mariánské Lázně Golf Club
Just a short drive away lies Mariánské Lázně, the second most popular spa town in the region. Both Mariánské Lázně Golf Club and Karlovy Vary Golf Club hold the distinction of being the two oldest clubs in the Czech Republic. As you explore Mariánské Lázně, you might encounter charming local characters, like the kindly gentleman keen to sell second-hand golf balls neatly presented in egg cartons!
The Colonnade was built in 1888/89 on the site of the original spa building in Mariánské Lázně. It’s beautiful inside & out and fronted by a ‘Singing Fountain’.
A visit to the magnificent Colonnade, built in 1888/89 on the site of the original spa building, is a must. Beautiful inside and out, it's fronted by the famous "Singing Fountain."
Mariánské Lázně Golf Club itself is an exceptional parkland course, officially opened in 1905 by King Edward VII. Its initial tree-lined fairways gracefully open out into wider expanses, with the occasional small lake adding to the challenge. Compared to the more modern, demanding courses around Prague, both Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně feel more in line with classic, older-style resort courses, offering a gentler, yet thoroughly enjoyable, round.
Like most of the West Bohemian courses, Lázně Kynžvart is heavily tree-lined.
Golf Club Kynžvart
Our little golf group in front of Castle Kynžvart which displays the personal belongings of Madame Pompadour, Victor Hugo, Marie Antoinette and Ludwig van Beethoven. Well worth a detour!
Prepare for a slight pronunciation challenge with Golf Club Kynžvart, also known as Lázně Kynžvart. This course, while established more recently in 2008, perfectly complements the two older clubs. Set within a stunning historic park reminiscent of a grand English estate, the course was designed by Christoph Städler, who masterfully blended some truly exceptional parkland holes. Having undergone significant innovations a decade ago, it now provides an outstanding parkland experience. Don't miss a detour to Castle Kynžvart, which houses fascinating personal belongings of historical figures like Madame Pompadour, Victor Hugo, Marie Antoinette, and Ludwig van Beethoven!
Františkovy Lázně Golf Club
Golf Club Franzensbad
Nearby, you'll find Františkovy Lázně Golf Club, also known as Franzensbad Golf Club – a common theme for names in this region! Franzensbad is an elevated parkland course with a delightful texture to its loam, not unlike the heathland courses of Scotland. It rises and drops gently, maintaining an interesting and varied terrain throughout the round.
Timing your trip to West Bohemia is key. We visited in October, and in this upland region, it was already getting cool, with courses feeling a bit too damp. Given that most are parkland and heavily tree-lined, they are undoubtedly at their best from May to September, when conditions are ideal.
The True Meaning of "Bohemian"
It's worth clarifying the term "Bohemian," which often causes confusion. In modern parlance, it typically refers to an "unconventional" lifestyle embraced by artists, writers, poets, or anyone eschewing a prosaic existence. However, this has little to do with the actual Bohemian region of the Czech Republic.
The term was first applied in 19th-century France to artistic types living in low-rent Parisian districts primarily inhabited by Romani people. It was mistakenly believed that the Romani had reached France via Bohemia (the western part of the modern Czech Republic), when in fact, they had no historical connection to the region.
This kindly old gentleman was keen to sell us some second-hand golf balls neatly presented in egg boxes.
Mariánské is an exceptional parkland course first established in the time of King Edward VII who officially opened it in 1905. Its initial, tree-lined fairways open out onto wider expanses with the occasional little lake to watch out for.
Both Marienbad and Franzensbad more in line with ‘resort’ courses of an older style compared to those around the city of Prague which are of a more modern, demanding standard.
Golf Club Kynžvart
Golf Club Kynžvart otherwise known as Lázně Kynžvart, neither of which are easy to pronounce, fits well with the two older clubs, although this parkland was established in 2008. Set in a beautiful historic park that would be quite at home in Sussex, England, the course was designed by Christoph Städler, who blended some exceptional parkland holes. The golf course underwent several major innovations a decade or so ago and now offers an excellent parkland experience.
Františkovy Lázně Golf Club
Nearby is Franzensbad Golf Club also known as Františkovy Lázně. Everywhere seems to have two versions of their names here. Franzensbad is an elevated parkland course with a nice texture to the loam not unlike our Scottish heathland courses. It rises and drops, not too steeply but keeping the terrain interesting.
WHEN TO COME
Don’t leave it too late in the year! We arrived in October and already in this upland region it was getting cool, the courses a bit too damp for my liking. They’re all parkland, heavily tree-lined and so I reckon they’d be at their best from May to September.
BOHEMIAN LIFESTYLE
There’s a general confusion about the term ‘Bohemian’. In modern parlance, it refers to the ‘unconventional’ lifestyle followed by artists, writers, poets or just plain vagabonds unwilling to settle for a prosaic lifestyle. It has little to do with the Bohemian region of the Czech Republic.
The term was first applied in France in the early 19th century to artistic types who were living in low-rent districts of Paris otherwise occupied by Romani people. It was the Romanis who were mistakenly thought to have reached France via Bohemia (the western part of the modern Czech Republic) when in fact they had nothing to do with the place!
The Czech Republic's original name was Bohemia which came from ”Boiohaemum,” which is a Latin word. “Home of the Boil”, oh no, wait! I read that wrong. It’s the Home of the Boii’ which was a Celtic tribe of the later Iron Age,
The current name Czech comes from the word Czechian, the name of the place.
