Alpine pars and spas

It may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of top European golfing destinations, but western Austria is fast becoming just that. Ski in the morning, play 18 holes in the afternoon, then indulge in a relaxing massage or bubbling spa – a golfing trip for the mind, body, and soul. 

For golfers looking for something different from the well-tramped fairways of Spain and Portugal, two of the country’s key golf areas, Zell am See in Salzburgerland (think GP Ice Race) and Kitzbühel in the Tyrol (think international ski championships) are within a short drive of each other and have all the right ingredients – chic ski towns, top-class restaurants, friendly locals, spa and wellness treatments, a multitude of outdoor activities and invigorating stress-free golf.   

From quirky nine-hole tracks to championship-class designs, the courses are outstanding and a well-struck shot can fly an extra 10 percent of distance through the crisp clean air. 

Teeing off at Golfclub Zell am See in the Salzach Valley, this is not only the largest golfing facility in the Austrian Alps, but with the snowcapped mountains of the National Park Hohe Tauern rising to 3797 metres in the distance, it's one of the most picturesque in Europe, too. 

Designed by Donald Harradine, the two parkland-style courses – Kitzsteinhorn and Schmittenhöhe – are situated beside each other on the valley floor and feature water on several holes, huge bunkers and distinctive old hay barns that dot the fairways. The Kitzsteinhorn course is worth playing just for the stunning view from the wooden bridge that leads across a lake from the 10th tee to the 11th green. The second course, the Schmittenhöhe is the most difficult of the two courses and requires more club management, especially with the final two greens being especially well protected by water.

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. With over 100 Wellness Hotel complexes scattered throughout the country there are plenty to choose from. But 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. 

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 September. In fact, Kitzbühel markets itself as the ‘Golfing centre of the Alps’ offering four courses, while another 19 all lie within an easy drive. 

A few kilometres out of town is Golfplatz Kitzbühel Schwarzsee-Reith which opened in 1989 with an exhibition match between Bernard Langer and Payne Stewart. 

The first few holes of the par-72, 6642-metre test are reasonably forgiving parkland, and 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 golf course climbs the hillside through the pine trees and becomes more challenging.

The 19th hole is a lovely sunny terrace with magnificent views of the Astberg, Rauherkopf and Wilder Kaiser Peaks. Here if you hear a local player talking about the 20th hole, what insiders are referring to is the nearby Schwarzsee Lake, a wonderful spot for relaxing, swimming and sunbathing before or after a round. 

For some casual golfing action closer to town, there is a quirky nine-hole golf course attached to the Rasmushof hotel. This course has the distinction of being Austria’s only rated par-3 course – such is the degree of difficulty. Situated above Kitzbühel town, not only does it offer stunning views (especially from the 7th, 8th and 9th tees), but it is also positioned at the bottom of the world famous 'Hahnenkamm' downhill racing trail.

It takes an ace skier just under two minutes to negotiate the 2.5 kilometres of glittering ice cliff at close on 140km/h in the annual 'Hahnenkamm' downhill race which which Audi sponsors as part of the Alpine World Ski Championships.

The golf course at Ramushof is also part of Golf Festival Kitzbühel, a week of non-stop golfing action that sets the benchmark for the rest of Austria – offering pro-am competition, a 100-hole marathon (11 rounds at Rasmushof), 'longest drive on the Streif' and a taste of its top courses including Golfplatz Kitzbühel Schwarzsee-Reith and Golf Eichenheim. 

Designed by golf architect Kyle D. Phillips (whose impressive portfolio of layouts includes Kingsbarns in Scotland and The Grove in England), championship-class Golf Eichenheim is highly rated in the top courses in Austria and is a must-play in the region. The 5944-metre track presents a stern test for golfers of all standards, with superbly manicured greens, rollercoaster fairways, meandering water hazards and regular elevation changes, to produce a truly memorable experience. 

The emerald green on the par-5 first is on the same level as a snowcapped mountain range in the distance creating one of the most photogenic vistas in Austrian golf. Within close proximity of Golf Eichenheim, is Bichilof, a wellness hotel which also makes an excellent golf base for the Kitzbühel region. 

Other golfing options in the region include the spacious 27-hole Wilder Kaiser course with its craggy backdrop, Golfclub Nationalpark Hohe Tauern in Mittersill, with its signature par-3 island green right in front of the sunny clubhouse terrace, and the 9-hole Golfclub Kitzbühel  at Schloss Kaps which boasts more single-figure handicap members than anywhere else in the country. 

It’s certainly a region that will engage you both as a golfer and as a traveller, with offerings so diverse that you will either have to spend a considerable time in the region to do it justice or make plenty of return trips. Austria’s favourite son, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who spent some time in spa-golf country, sums it up the best in the Rasmushof hotel’s  guestbook  – ‘I’ll be back’.