Golf Asia — January 2018

GOLF ASIA 71

Ludwig Karl, who reckoned he was better
in the kitchen than on the golf course. The
country’s signature dessert certainly hit the
spot before we tackled the Schmittenhöhe
course in the afternoon.

Spa For The Course
Austria more or less invented the spa town,
and indulgence by the rich and famous
made these resorts some of the most
famous in Europe. In an attempt to cure his
deafness, Beethoven was a regular visitor
to Baden bei Wien, while Princess Sophie
proclaimed that the waters of Bad Ischl
were a boost to her fertility. The popularity
of the treatments has led to the rise of over
one hundred Wellness Hotel complexes
scattered throughout the country.
A comfortable and convenient base
for golfers in Zell am See, near the shores
of picturesque Lake Zeller is the five-star
Hotel Salzburger Hof, which like many other
wellness hotels, offers special golf and spa

packages that include reduced green fees

and a variety of therapeutic treatments.

“When we first opened in 1967 we were

one of the first places to offer massage,

cosmetic and facial treatments. We always

try and find a selection of the best and latest

for our guests,” said owner Gisela Holleis. “

For example we offer the Hawaiian massage

‘Lomi Lomi’, which goes deep into the

psyche, and can help release tension and

anxieties. In fact, it’s perfect for golfers.”

“We have plenty of golfers staying at Hotel

Salzburger Hof and it’s great for couples.

The wives are very happy because they can

stay at the best address in town and take all

the treatments, while the men go off golfing

for the day. Everyone wins,” said Gisela

enthusiastically.

Men are certainly welcome to take the

treatments too, but whether you go for ‘La

Stone’, (where hot and cold stones are

placed alternately onto your energy centre)

or ‘Agyptos’ (where you are wrapped in

bandages that have been steeped in a

mixture of Egyptian Vital Earth and salt from

the Dead Sea), there can be no doubt about

the stress-relieving qualities of a bubbling

spa that can work wonders for the mind,

body and soul after 36 holes of Alpine golf.

Golfing Centre

About an hour's drive over a mountain

pass to the north-west of Zell am See, is the

medieval town of Kitzbühel - a cosmopolitan

ski resort in winter and another excellent

base for Alpine golfers in the months of May

to mid-October. In fact, Kitzbühel markets

itself as the ‘Golfing Centre of the Alps’

offering four courses, while another nineteen

all lie within an easy drive.

A few kilometres out of town is Golf Club

Schwarzsee where a British professional

and his team operate a friendly service

to all-comers. Opened in 1989 with an

exhibition match between Bernard Langer

and Payne Stewart, the first few holes of

the par-72, 6,642-metre test are reasonably

forgiving parkland. One standout hole is

the challenging 187-metre par 3 9th, which

requires a solid and accurate strike over a

lake from the elevated tee blocks. From here

on the course climbs the hillside through the

pine trees and becomes more challenging.

Old hay barns are a

characteristic feature of Zell

am See’s golf courses

Snow-capped mountain

reflections at the par 4th on the

Kitzsteinhorn course, Zell am See

Two golfers

cross a bridge

from the

10th green

to the 11th

tee, on the

Kitzsteinhorn

course