Golf & mountain air taster in the Montafon
By Elsa-Maria Honecker
Sport is also the order of the day on golf-free days, because here we are in what is probably the most varied valley for sports enthusiasts and connoisseurs in the Alps
I can hardly believe it - it's just 35 kilometres from Rankweil, the youngest golf course in Vorarlberg, to the oldest golf course in Schruns-Tschagguns in the Montafon. And yet the landscape changes dramatically. Here the flat Rhine plain, there the lush green foothills of the Alps with the imposing peaks in the high mountains around the Silvretta. Here is the end of the almost 40 kilometre-long valley and the drive along the winding road reminds me of my first "Silvretta Classic", one of the most attractive high Alpine rallies, where cows, schoolchildren with flags and classic car freaks greeted us at the side of the road.
If you want to experience spectacular glaciers and imposing reservoirs, this is the place to be at the head of the valley. Especially on hot summer days, you are in the best of hands here with a cool breeze.
A varied mountain experience
When hiking, mountaineering, climbing, e-biking or mountain biking, the mountain experience takes centre stage everywhere. Sport is also the order of the day on golf-free days, as we are pretty much in the most varied valley in the Alps.
The front part of the valley, where the golf course is located, is also full of variety. There are three altitudes for exercise here: in the valley, Maisäß and alpine. Maisäß, by the way, is the name given to the original agricultural area at an altitude of between 1,200 and 1,600 metres above sea level, which was mainly used for livestock farming. Most Montafon locals feel a deep connection to their Maisäß. It is a link to the past, a symbol of hard work and their closeness to nature.
In general, a lot of new vocabulary comes my way. Did you know that the Montafon dialect is an intangible cultural asset on the Unsesco World Heritage List? Many "Muntafunerische" expressions come from Rhaeto-Romanic. For example, when a Montafon golfer says, "I am z lützl of dr driving range gsi drom hon i welaweg z lätz gspielt", he could do with more practice.
The cradle of golf in Vorarlberg
However, the members of the Montafon Golf Club have a pretty good handle on practice. The club recently produced two national team players. The well-known ski racers Anita Wachter, Rainer Salzgeber and Mathias Berthold also come from here - all members of the Montafon Golf Club, as manager Toni Unterweger proudly tells me. We are sitting over coffee and fresh apricot cake in the cosy clubhouse of the 9-hole course, which is already 30 years old. So here in Schruns-Tschagguns is the cradle of golf in Vorarlberg. To my surprise, it is a completely flat course. Only on the 2nd hole do you tee off elevated, over a barn onto the green - not so easy, because there is a hazard on the right. Nevertheless, for me the game here is like a relaxed walk in an impressive natural setting with the magnificent Montafon mountain panorama all around. The 7th hole, where you carry over a sea of flowers with a biotope lurking behind, and the 8th, the longest par 5 in western Austria at 542 metres, are challenging. If you just want to come and practise, you can do so free of charge and get your clubs for free - perfect for giving golf a try.
Canton "Remaining"
This is my first visit to Schruns-Tschagguns, the largest town in the Montafon in summer. I am amazed that there is so much going on even in summer. The lively pedestrian zone in Schruns offers flower-filled guest gardens, nice cafés, great sports shops and pretty little shops with Montafon specialities and handicrafts.
The 4-star Aktiv & Spa Hotel Alpenrose run by the Mäser family is obviously the hotspot for a sporty Swiss clientele. This may be because of its location close to the cable cars, the range of activities on offer, the wellness centre or the good food. The head of the house takes guests on hikes through his own hunting grounds or to the nearby fishing grounds. The junior accompanies his guests on the odd round of golf when he is not busy climbing, biking or performing the duties of a young hotelier.
I have to smile when I think that the Swiss once rejected Vorarlberg as a canton and now they are all here again - in "Canton Übrig".
Elsa Maria Honecker is a freelance editor for the Swiss Golf Yearbook, among others, a member of GC Berchtesgadener Land and has a handicap of 22.7.
Further information about the region:
Montafon