King’s course & Lake’s course Royal Bled
Have you played golf at the oldest and most beautiful golf course in Slovenia?
The spectacular Royal Bled Golf Course, located 2 km east of the popular town of Bled in Slovenia, is ranked among the top 100 golf courses in the world and the top 25 in Europe, as the first Slovenian golf course. One of the oldest golf courses in Europe, surrounded by the magnificent Karavanke Mountains, the picturesque Julian Alps on the north, and Triglav on the horizon to the west, provides an idyllic location for playing golf.
The most beautiful and largest golf course in Slovenia is made up of the King’s Course with 18 holes and the Lake’s Course with 9 holes.
The oldest golf course in Slovenia
The history of the course dates back to 1937 when the first official game of golf was played on the completed first nine holes of this first Yugoslavian golf course in Bled. With the completion of 18 greens, the course was unfortunately abandoned due to the start of World War II. During this time, the popular course was visited by many famous personalities, including Prince Regent Paul Karadjordjevic, the Duke of Kent with Greek Princess - Duchess Marina, British Ambassador Sir Ronald Campbell, US Ambassador Arthur Lane, and many others.
With a total length of 6,563 meters, the King’s Course could also host professional competitions at the highest level. However, with five different tees, it is suitable for all types of players except for beginners, for whom it is still too demanding.
The first 9 holes start with an inviting first shot for an easy start of the game. If you hit the fairway with your first shot, you can already count on a played par, but if you make a mistake on your second shot, a difficult shot from one of the sand traps protecting the green awaits you. As we approach the green of the long 2nd hole, we once again have a view of Bled Castle. The saying "no risk, no reward" applies to the 6th and 8th holes, as both holes are quite short, with elevated greens and protected on all sides by sand and water hazards. From the tee box of the 9th hole, we can once again see the King’s House and the double green that is shared by the 9th and 18th holes.
Golf Course with a Spectacular View
The 9-hole Lake's course is the opposite of the King's course. While King’s course offers mostly plenty of maneuvering space for initial shots, Lake’s course requires more thought and strategy for initial shots, as the fairways are narrower and surrounded by more trees on all sides. Despite being shorter in total length compared to King’s course, Lake’s course is a mixture of spectacular views and challenging holes that run over undulating terrain. Due to its slightly lower difficulty level, all players can enjoy playing on this course. The length of 3,047 meters may seem deceptive at first glance, but in the end, only the most thoughtful and precise players will prove themselves on this fantastic course.
King's and Lake’s courses span over 100 hectares of land and are characterized by their luxurious spaciousness and arrangement of playing fields. Both courses offer an exceptional and unique golfing experience, as their diversity presents players with numerous challenges amidst enchanting views of the surrounding area. One-quarter of the total area is covered by forest fragments, while the rest is adorned with grassy surfaces with individual trees purposely planted for golfing.
The fact that golfers use every club in their bag during a round speaks to the diversity of the playing surface and it's no surprise that guests keep coming back for more.
Royal Bled Golf Course, with its sophisticated design and numerous challenges for players, hosts an enviable number of international professional golf tournaments every year. The PGA European Challenge Tour and Ladies European Tour are just a few of the various European championships that Royal Bled Golf in Slovenia has hosted in recent years.
As Sam Torrance, captain of the 2002 Ryder Cup, said: "I've played golf on some of the best courses in the world and Royal Bled Golf Course is undoubtedly one of them. We've played on some of the most prestigious courses in professional tournaments, but this course is very special and could host a European Tour, if not the Ryder Cup."
