In Golf We Trust
The Game Enjoys Increasing Popularity in Hungary
By Hannah Cawthorne

One of the beneficiaries of the political changes in Hungary, golf has had a successful comeback to the Hungarian green over the past decade. Although premiered on the Hungarian soil almost one hundred years ago, golf almost became extinct during the Communist rule. The game, pioneered by Scottish shepherds who laid down the fundamentals while trying to pass time in the Highlands, is gaining increasing Hungarian attention these days. Moreover, golf courses linked to thermal baths - which are in abundance in Hungary - would have an immense potential for generating tourism revenue, some experts say.

Golf is perhaps not the first sport that springs to mind when one considers the sporting scene in Hungary, but it does exist here, and a little digging, or perhaps floundering around in the bunker with a sand wedge, will reveal a quietly thriving scene. There are currently 11 golf courses in Hungary, most of them relatively close to Budapest or the Austrian border, the notable exception being the Hencse National Golf and Country Club, which is 80 kilometers South of Lake Balaton. There are also three driving ranges, all either in or very near Budapest. This is, as yet only a small number of courses compared to some other countries in Europe where the game is more firmly established, but this represents a very impressive rate of growth, since the first Hungarian golf course of modern times- the Kék Duna Golf Club, was opened in 1988. The first of modern times, because golf had been introduced to Hungary much earlier, with the first course being built in Tátraomnicon in 1909. However, golf suffered a great deal under the Communist regime, during which time the sport virtually died out in the country. Due to the efforts of a few committed supporters though, it never completely disappeared, and is now beginning to prosper once more.

One person who has helped raise awareness about the growing number of possibilities for golf lovers in Hungary, is Gábor Lehoczky, the driving force behind Golf Services, a company that specializes in providing tourists with days out at some of the courses near to Budapest, or slightly longer breaks to clubs a little further from the capital. He places the number of Hungarian golfers at around 3,000, with ex-pat players and visiting tourists making up a large percentage of the people who use the courses in Hungary. However, he doesn't believe that golf-related tourism is at present a particularly big or lucrative business, but one that has the potential to change in the future. "The main problem is lack of information," he explains. "We try to let people know about it, by putting information about Hungarian golf on the World Golf homepage, but at the moment, not too many people are aware of us." He is in no doubt though, that once word gets around, Hungary has the facilities needed to attract larger numbers of golf lovers. "The tourists that come here tell me that the courses are of a very good quality, and one of the courses, Pannónia, is of the very highest quality- perhaps one of the top 50 in the world." He is quite optimistic about the future of golf in Hungary, and predicts that the next 5 years will see the building of 10-15 new golf courses here. The Birdland Golf and Country Club in Bükk Fürdo already has construction underway to improve the already impressive list of facilities it has, including enlargement of its 18 -hole course to a 27-hole, and the creation of an 18-hole putting course. These and several other new facilities are scheduled for completion in 2003. Mr. Lehoczky has his own ideas about what could be done to draw in more golf-playing tourists. "Here in Hungary we have many thermal baths- over a hundred of them throughout the country, and I think golf courses linked to thermal baths are an excellent idea." He seems confident about the future of golf tourism in Hungary, but slightly unsure about whether large numbers of his fellow countrymen will take to the sport. However, one person who has a much more optimistic view of the development of golf as a game for Hungarians, as well as an important tourist attraction, is keen golfer Zsusza Rajki. As Country Manager for Dow Chemicals Hungary, she was first introduced to the game three years ago, by an American-Hungarian colleague. She has noticed a sharp increase in the number of Hungarians taking up the game in the last year. "Before this year, if I saw a person in the far distance, but I saw that he or she was wearing a yellow hat, I knew who it was- today it's impossible, because there are so many new faces…Initially I met only the senior people, who could afford it better, both financially and time wise, but now I meet many more really young people- teenagers and below, and also the middle generation- so it's getting more and more popular." She see this sudden increase as not being due to one particular thing, but rather that the game is simply beginning to mature here, and that the variety of courses throughout the country gives more people the opportunity to play. One of the main obstacles to overcome before the game can gain any more new converts, is one of public perception, she says, "Golf has a reputation here in Hungary as being a sport for millionaires, that it's for some selected people in the world, and it's not true!"

An 18-hole round of golf in Hungary will probably set you back something in the region of HUF 10,000-15,000, depending on what time of the week you go, whilst an annual membership can be purchased for roughly HUF 200,000. Most courses will allow you to rent clubs for about HUF 500 each, or alternatively, many also have equipment and clothing shops where the more serious player can be kited out. As for clothing, only the regulation shoes are required, and depending on quality, the price will range from HUF 20,000 - 60,000. Jeans and shorts are forbidden in Hungary and collars are also regulation. For a beginner, it is worth it to invest in a start-up package, which can be purchased for approximately HUF 250,000. Used equipment in good condition may be found for as low as HUF 100,000. A golf bag runs around HUF 25,000-100,000 while a glove will cost between HUF 3,000-5,000.
For people who are thinking of taking up the game for the first time, Hungary appears to be a good place to learn, as Ms Rajki explains. "We have more and more pros who are not only good players, but also good trainers- both for advanced players and beginners." So, with interest in the game gradually increasing, both at home and abroad, plenty of good facilities available, and with plans afoot for plenty more, this could be an excellent time for golf enthusiasts of any ability to investigate what Hungarian golf has to offer.

August 2002
Hannah Cawthorne