Golf in the capital
July 10, 2012
To rid the game of golf from its snobbish image - this was the goal of Uwe Riepers when he created the nationwide tournament "Germany plays golf." Rieper comes from northern Germany, but when he talks about Berlin he doesn't use any Nordic understatements. "The mixture at the Berlin golf week as a vacation, tournament, and typical golf club is unique in Germany. It's a new clique - in a positive way."
More than 20 golf clubs are located in and around Berlin. Some of the courses are among the best in the country. But no matter how well the courses are maintained, now and then a freaky Berlin air blows.
Deep sea divers, disco queens, sheikhs …
A prime example is the annual Royal Benzinger tournament. Named after the worst of all possible golf shots, in which a player chunks dirt onto the ball by accidentally hitting too much ground first, this event deliberately challenges convention. Participants dress up as a deep sea divers, disco queens and Arab sheikhs with the hope of winning the "best dressed award." Awards are also given for shabby performances, including of course the worst "Benzinger" shot.
Most of Berlin's golf courses were built in the 90s, when the expectations for the capital of reunified Germany remained well above "poor but sexy," which is now the heavily indebted city's motto. Many golf clubs have been nibbling at the economic sluggishness of the region, which has benefited younger golfers especially.
Broader, younger, middle-class…
The cost of membership is comparable to that of a good gym, said Jana Hanke, who is responsible for PR at the "Berlin university golf team," a voluntary student initiative. In order to recruit new members, many golf clubs offer an annual membership starting at 900 euros. "The golf clientele are becoming broader, younger, more middle-class," says Hanke.
The organized tournaments of the Berlin university golf team are only one part of the Germany-wide university golf tour, which now has ten events. Two of the events are very popular in Berlin, not least because of the nightlife. "More students are traveling all over Germany in order to participate in our tournaments while also enjoying the unique atmosphere of the capital,” said Hanke. Champagne or cheap Sternburg beer? It doesn't really matter - this question is rarely asked in the Berlin golf scene, because there is pretty much room for almost any style.
Dignified, sadistic, or Scottish
From July 30 to August 3, Uwe Riepers tournament series "Berliner Golf Week" gives golfers the opportunity to prove their skills on five different courses. A highlight is the Gatow golf club. The course was built in 1969 by British military personnel and today is still "very British": smart, elegant, and dignified.
But of course you can also discover the clubs on your own, for instance the Stolper Heide club which boasts the West Course designed by one of Germany's two major champions, Bernhard Langer. The sheer length and tightness of the Langer track, including its difficult 10th hole that is protected by water hazards, leaves no doubt as to the two-time Masters champion's proclivity for sadism.
The Sandy Lyle course at Schloss Wilkendorf also carries a big name, similar to the Robert Trent Jones design at Golf Club Seddinger See and the Nick Faldo and Arnold Palmer courses at the Sporting Club Berlin Scharmützelsee.
Full focus
The Faldo course was voted Germany's best course by the magazine Golf Journal and is known for its deep bunkers - designed after the Scottish model - which represent a real challenge to golfers who miss the fairway. Many Berliners say the Palmer course at Scharmützelsee is the more diverse and greater challenge.
It doesn't cost an arm or a leg to play these courses. If you book a tee time during the week, you can play a lot of these courses for around or under 50 euros. But no matter where you play or what you pay, you'll most certainly meet run into a few interesting individuals on Berlin's golf courses. And if you do indeed encounter a disco-queen or a sheikh, stay cool - Benzigers are a lot less harmful than they look…
Author: Jefferson Chase / hc
Editor: Gabriel Borrud