Three valleys, three golf courses, three stories
By Elsa-Maria Honecker
My programme for this golf trip sounded extremely tasty: Golf on three courses, culinary experiences in the "Traube" and sweet treats in the town and on the golf course.
Good prerequisites for a trip to the 3 valleys of Klostertal, Montafon and Rheintal. In the former, one of the highlights is the Hotel "Traube" in Braz. In the traditional hotel run by the Lorünser family, the balancing act between traditional, rural cosiness and modern lifestyle has been achieved with great architectural flair - in the modern feel-good rooms with lots of wood, the Atrium Spa in dark slate with indoor and outdoor pool, saunas and relaxation area with fireplace. Naturally, I treat myself to the grape treatment with scrub, wrap and massage. The best recipe after a strenuous round of golf at the nearby Bludenz-Braz Golf Club. On a hillside surrounded by mountains, the 18 holes run quickly uphill past hay barns and grazing cattle. Just enough to allow you to pull your golf trolley comfortably. It gets exciting from hole 4 with many doglegs up to the highest point on 11, where you are rewarded with a marvellous panoramic view. The well-deserved beer at the end is also to be bravely earned - hopefully with a successful drive over the pond in front of the clubhouse.
Tradition and sport
My excursion to the Montafon is rustic. The cultural and historical hiking trail in Gaschurn immerses me in the centuries-old farming tradition of the region. Particularly impressive: the Lukas Tschofen parlour. Here you can see how the richest family in the valley lived in the 17th century - Alpine folk art and craftsmanship par excellence.
The 9 holes of the Montafon Golf Club provide a sporting change for me. This club on the banks of the River Ill has a very relaxed and informal atmosphere. Starting times only have to be reserved in the high season, but the youth work is exemplary. The oldest club in Vorarlberg keeps producing great young talent.
Sweet seduction
On the way to my next golf adventure, I can't get past Bludenz. The reason for this is the Milka Lädele, where I buy a delicious round of refreshments for my next game at Montfort-Rankweil Golf Club - even though I just missed this year's chocolate festival.
Topographically speaking, the flat course in the Rhine plain, designed by Diethard Fahrenleitner with lots of water and bunkers, is the perfect antithesis to the alpine courses I've just played. That's why I find it really relaxing with a length of 5,560 metres and a par 68: wide fairways and a clear course guarantee a good score here. Nevertheless, even good players will find the "Ländle-Fontana", as it is often called, a challenge. Especially for water-shy golfers like me, hole 14, a 149-metre par 3, and hole 18, a 489-metre par 5, get the adrenaline pumping. From here, you can already see the striking clubhouse, which is unrivalled in terms of modernity and style and offers excellent cuisine.
For my next visit to the "Traube", the second golf course in the Montafon, the Lech Golf Club and the Brand Golf Club are also on my wish list.
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
Vorarlberg Alpine Region