Day four over and the Czech us out tour comes to an end. Today we were at Karlstejn, an ex European tour venue, and a lovely course. It is high in the hills about an hour from Prague, and really would not have the infrastructure for a major tournament these days.
Cookie and I played another match play for our Virgin Atlantic league, and I had a rare win against him. Back to back birdies at 11 and 12 got my nose in front and a steady back nine saw me through to victory.
The course is built in the grounds of Karlstejn castle built in the 14th century by Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV and it is one of the best examples in the Czech Republic.
Last night was the gala dinner at which prizes were dished out. We came home empty handed but the experience has still been worthwhile. As far as a festival of golf goes though it was not quite what we expected.
There were tour reps from China and Germany, and a guest of one of the Germans ran a Porsche golf events team. Four Scots had won the trip in a golf magazine competition. One Frenchman owned a hotel with two golf courses in Bordeaux and another typical French raconteur lived in Aix Les Vains. He had a restaurant in Mirrabelle and skied in Japan.
So there were very few paying guests, but we held our own had a good time and would come back. It's a golf tour destination of the future. Now all I need to do is repack my suitcase for EasyJet. Hey ho!!
Thursday, 13 July 2017
Wednesday, 12 July 2017
Pythonesque
The third and final festival day was at the Albatross course. It is about to host the Czech masters so was set up in a testing way for us. It is a naturally tough course so given that and a third day fatigue factor scores were not expected to be too high. We will find out at the gala dinner later tonight.
Last night was at leisure in Prague so Cookie and I found a Czech restaurant near the Spanish Synagogue and I over ate to the point of uncomfortable. I was warned off the starters but insisted on shredded meat on toast. They would have done as a full meal, so when the goulash arrived I knew I had a battle on my hand to eat it all. The walk home was mandatory to allow a bit of digestion to occur before bed.
I will be more circumspect this evening but have already had a seafood risotto for lunch so I don't think there is any hope for me.
Last golf day tomorrow then home,might have a frozen albatross on a stick later!
Last night was at leisure in Prague so Cookie and I found a Czech restaurant near the Spanish Synagogue and I over ate to the point of uncomfortable. I was warned off the starters but insisted on shredded meat on toast. They would have done as a full meal, so when the goulash arrived I knew I had a battle on my hand to eat it all. The walk home was mandatory to allow a bit of digestion to occur before bed.
I will be more circumspect this evening but have already had a seafood risotto for lunch so I don't think there is any hope for me.
Last golf day tomorrow then home,might have a frozen albatross on a stick later!
Tuesday, 11 July 2017
Out on the Konopiste
Day two of the Czech golf festival saw us travel a little further to the Konopiste resort and spa. The facilities have two 18 hole courses, a nine holer and practise ground. The practise ground doubles as a ski slow during the Winter and has a lift to the top. There is a hotel and spa and additional dormey house accommodation for golfers.
Our welcome at the course was not as enthusiastic as that which we got yesterday. It is often a characteristic of golf hotels that they almost find golfers an unavoidable nuisance. Today seemed back that up.
Early on the course seemed a bit tired and tatty but it's conditional improved greatly after about three holes. The only other downside was the back nine which seemed have four holes of a similar design which have a certain tedium to them.
Cookie and I stormed back from 4 down against two dour Scotsmen and after pulling back to all square on the 17th we gained an honourable half on the last. In the Virgin Swingers league though Cookie beat me 2 & 1.
Last night we had our tour of Prague followed by typical Czech cuisine which was very enjoyable. We had a coach to the castle and then walked down to the Charles bridge and old town in the company of an English speaking guide. It showed us some fascinating architecture, buildings many centuries old standing beside those a few hundred years old, and those in between.
Prague has never been under siege or subjected to land or air bombardments which has allowed it to evolve in the way it has. The only sadness lies in the Jewish quarter where many beautiful synagogues stand as a monument to the atrocities of the Second World War. The Germans cleansed the City of the Jewish population and the Jews have never returned.
So to tomorrow which sees us battle for the Czech trophy. Must keep the ball the fairway and out of the water hazards otherwise Cookie will beat me again.
Our welcome at the course was not as enthusiastic as that which we got yesterday. It is often a characteristic of golf hotels that they almost find golfers an unavoidable nuisance. Today seemed back that up.
Early on the course seemed a bit tired and tatty but it's conditional improved greatly after about three holes. The only other downside was the back nine which seemed have four holes of a similar design which have a certain tedium to them.
Cookie and I stormed back from 4 down against two dour Scotsmen and after pulling back to all square on the 17th we gained an honourable half on the last. In the Virgin Swingers league though Cookie beat me 2 & 1.
Last night we had our tour of Prague followed by typical Czech cuisine which was very enjoyable. We had a coach to the castle and then walked down to the Charles bridge and old town in the company of an English speaking guide. It showed us some fascinating architecture, buildings many centuries old standing beside those a few hundred years old, and those in between.
Prague has never been under siege or subjected to land or air bombardments which has allowed it to evolve in the way it has. The only sadness lies in the Jewish quarter where many beautiful synagogues stand as a monument to the atrocities of the Second World War. The Germans cleansed the City of the Jewish population and the Jews have never returned.
So to tomorrow which sees us battle for the Czech trophy. Must keep the ball the fairway and out of the water hazards otherwise Cookie will beat me again.
Monday, 10 July 2017
Czech us out
Myself and good mate Cookie are in Prague at the moment checking out the city and its surrounding golf courses. We flew in last night and avoided all the hen and stag parties going back the other way.
Today was the first round at the Loreta course about 35 minutes from the centre. It's a new layout from 2013 but was the ideal start for our tour. We played it as a warm-up round and hit some dreadful and hit a few birdies so all in all a good start.
Neither of us have been to Prague before and first impression was how clean a city it was. We have a two hour sightseeing tour this evening so that will give us a chance to see the old town, the Charles bridge and so on.
There are 21 of us on the tour and many are travel agents or tour operators seeing whether Prague golf could fill a place in the European holiday destination portfolio. Initial indications are that it could. Let's see what tomorrow brings.
Today was the first round at the Loreta course about 35 minutes from the centre. It's a new layout from 2013 but was the ideal start for our tour. We played it as a warm-up round and hit some dreadful and hit a few birdies so all in all a good start.
Neither of us have been to Prague before and first impression was how clean a city it was. We have a two hour sightseeing tour this evening so that will give us a chance to see the old town, the Charles bridge and so on.
There are 21 of us on the tour and many are travel agents or tour operators seeing whether Prague golf could fill a place in the European holiday destination portfolio. Initial indications are that it could. Let's see what tomorrow brings.
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