ZELL AM SEE GOLF HOLIDAYS
Austria's finest Alpine golf destination.
Golf holidays - Zell am See
Golf amidst the Alps is a very different game: clear mountain air, beautiful scenery, impossible blue skies, enveloped in total tranquility broken only by the gentle melody of cowbells; what could be nicer? The one drawback of many mountain Golf Clubs are the hills themselves! However in Austria, just south of Salzburg, there is a broad flat plain where you will find two, easily-walked, golf courses overlooked by glaciers: Zell am See Golf Club.
The ancient lakeside town of Zell am See is a hugely popular ski-resort in the Winter months, so has all the tourist infrastructure you could wish for in terms of hotels, shops, cafes (Austrian cafes are rather special!), bars and restaurants all within strolling distance of your hotel. It also has a rather magnificent, deep blue lake that mirrors the snow-capped peaks perfectly, creating jaw-dropping scenery: no wonder Julie Andrews was wont to burst into song!
Zell am See - Golf Clubs
Basing yourself in Zell am See, gives you excellent access to the four Clubs and five golf courses in the immediate region of Pinzgau. The premier Golf Club is Zell am See itself with its two excellent courses on the southern end of the lake. Although broadly similar in style, both are well worth playing.
Heading west from Zell am See you will quickly come to the wonderfully green and pleasant Mittersill valley with its supremely pastoral 18-holes: everything you'd expect from an Austrian golf course! Heading north from Zell am See, there are two more Golf Clubs waiting to be discovered: the narrow Fairways of Gut Brandlhof compressed between sheer rockfaces or head on towards the little village of Maria Alm where the dramatic views of the Steinernes Meer (sea of stone) at Urslautal Golf Club await your gaze.
And, if these 90-holes are not enough for your golf holiday, there are several more Golf Clubs over at Kitzbuhel and up around Salzburg...
Zell am See - Where to stay
Zell am See is a very busy ski-village in the Winter and almost as busy over the long days of Summer too. Its picturesque location (echoes of the Sound of Music still reverberate along the valleys) and proximity to Salzburg, ensures a steady stream of tourists to climb every mountain and ford every stream...
Our favourite hotel in town is The Sporthotel Alpin, one of the original Zell am See hotels owned by the Schwaniger family for generations; it exudes Austrian Gemütlichkeit from every nook and cranny. Perfectly placed for strolling around town and enjoying the mountains.
Should you wish to really get-away-from-it-all, just around the mountain from Zell am See ther is a gastronomic hideout in Leogang where you will be treated to some of the best cuisine that Austria has to offer and some of the best sleep too! The Kirchenwirt Landhotel in the sleepy hamlet of Leogang is another family-owned-and-run establishment seemingly carved out of solid rock!
Salzburgerland - what to see and do
Around Zell am See there are myriad ways to spend a day off the course. Lots off the ski-lifts run in the Summer so you can head up for some fresh air and stunning views over lunch in one af the many mountain restaurants. Or maybe visit Salzburg for the day: a beautiful city and the little train that runs from Zell am See around the lake and through the hills is one of the prettiest and most relaxing ways to get there.
Closer to Zell am See is the glacier at Kaprun, reached by the undermountain railway, it's a lovely spot for a Summer luncheon surrounded by ice and snow - or even have a ski?!? Austria's tallest mountain, the mighty Grossglockner, is just a short drive away too, should you wish to go to the next level.
The charming old town of Kitzbühel is only an hour away (through classic Austrian scenery) and although only small has a very nice central square for strolling, shopping, sipping and dining.
Getting to Zell am See
The closest airport to Zell am See is Salzburg, which is just over an hour away by car; British Airways and Ryanair both operate flights from the London area during the Summer months. The other option is to fly into Munich, which has a vast number of connections from all over the UK and Europe, and is only an extra hour's drive to Zell am See. Whichever airport you arrive at, we shall arrange for a suitably-sized rental-car to be ready and waiting for you.
Should you wish to take your own car, the drive from Calais will require an overnight stop somewhere as you wend your way down through France, Germany and Switzerland. It's a beautiful drive over the mountain passes and we can advise on the best places to stay en-route and arrange hotels for you too should you so wish.
