Horses ran course before the game,

But it was golf that now has all the fame.

Vienna minutes but a world away,

This special place is here to stay.

Many a person has come to test,

And try what may to give their best.

History stirs throughout this place,

Golf and horse both win the race.

Vienna. A symphony of elegance and sophistication through music, theater, opera, food and cafes.  Winding along the streets, combing through history, breathing in the air of Danube.  Voted as one of the “highest quality of living in the world,” Vienna expresses itself unlike any other city in the world.  Through the writing and composing of Mozart, Hayden, Beethoven, Mahler, Stolz, Strauss II, the sounds that resonate through the buildings of Vienna will both haunt you and entice you.  From the keys of Bösendorfer to the strings of a Mürnseer Harp, the enchanting vibrations will tie you to the city forever.  Add a cup of Viennese caffe and a Sacher torte, and you will never want to leave.

With the Sweetest Love from Vienna

Just outside the city, minutes from the hustle and bustle, lies a walk in the park that will tickle your toes.  Dating to 1901, the Golf Club Wien is as fine a jaunt as there is.  Perhaps the lack of distance will set your sights to a score of grandeur, but the little golfing gremlins will test your every nerve.  It is no wonder a few of golf’s greats have graced the grounds, looking for that course record.  Jack Nicklaus, Severiano Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam, Bernhard Langer, Jose Maria Olazabal, Sir Nick Faldo (to name a few) have all put cleats to turf, spending time at GC Wien.

And history continues in the area of GC Wien as once upon a time, a working horse race track was built and inaugruated by the Emperor Franz Joseph I. Home to the first Austrian Derby (1868), the Galopprennbahn Freudenau consisted of a Court Grandstand, an Emperor's Box and two side boxes. Fire destroyed part of the grandstands in 1883; however, in 1885 they were rebuilt and reconstructed to stand the test of time. The grounds are used today for many styles of events, and lend a very famous background to holes at the GC Wien.

The Race Course Freudenau

Talking with the wonderful staff at the club, there was a bit of hesitancy when asked who designed the course.  After a few hours of digging, the following was located in the archives, a book titled “Willie Park, Jr. - The Man who took Golf to the World” by Walter Stephen.

In 1901 the ‘Wien Golf Club’ was founded, and Willie Park was invited to lay out its course (but) the course in its present form dates from 1949 and was laid out by an Austrian, clearly influenced by the old course.

Because it is on an island the course is basically flat. River terraces are cut by old river channels, so that there are swells and some ponds and small lakes. There are not too many trees, and many of those are mature willows and Lombardy poplars.

The outstanding feature of Vienna is that holes 2 to 17 are within a racecourse, and that the last tee is on the inside of the track and the green is on the outside.

Every Willie Park course has fine qualities, and Vienna has plenty of these. It is beautiful and well maintained. Although the basic terrain is unexciting, it has a satisfying variety built into it.

But it also has a touch of excitement and exoticism, partly because the land is shared with a working racetrack, and partly because of the great city in which it lies.”

Arriving at GC Wien is unassuming, yet so incredibly unique. Horses call the area home just as much as the golfer. Fencing offers a gentile but firm reminder that the GC Wien is for members and guests of the club.  The club is elegant, simple, cozy, inviting and stately.  Hard to mix all of those, but it works beautifully.  There is no pro shop, or shopping area, just a few polos hanging outside of the reception area (it would be nice to have a few offerings, but understand that this isn’t their need).  Golf balls are handy if needed, a few tees, scorecards, pencils, and that is about it.  But what more do you need to play Austria’s Oldest Golf Club?

Unassuming yet elegant and stately

The walls of the “rotunda”  are full of pictures showcasing players over the years.  If you are not careful, the black and whites and full color images will take you minutes down lanes of nostalgia and pure curiosity. With more than a few steps to the driving range, located on the other side of 18, time will be of essence.  Through the first hole looks rather benign, though starts at the patio of the clubhouse, it also sets the tone for the whole round, so swinging a few before the first tee, could be a nice idea.

Walls of Fame in the bar of GC Wien

Hole one.  A simple and inviting par 4, straight down the fairway and away from the clubhouse.  It is short but dotted with a few fairway bunkers, just waiting for that first tee shot.  This is not necessarily a driver hole, as distance isn’t of necessity.  However, if a breakfast ball is on the docket, go ahead and take a rip.  And if not, just play for the middle of the fairway with a club that lands about 150 to 200 yards, depending on the tee marker.  This will leave you a short distance to the green and a nice opportunity to start with a bang.  Take a picture beside the sign at the back of the green.  Personal experience… favor the left side of the fairway, there is OB right.

Here come the horses!!!

Finding the second hole is the first real challenge of the day.  A small sign to the left of the green designates the beginning of the race track, for horses that is.  Look for the second tee markers (the second set of tees you see and far left).  As short as the first hole is, the second makes up for it.  A slight dogleg to the right happens  just 50 yards from the green.  This creates a demand for a good tee shot down the left side.  Though thoughts of cutting the corner might arise, just let them settle back down.  Making your par (whatever that might be) is confidence in the pocket.  Personal experience… no need to cut the corner.

A relatively short par 5 arrives at number 3.  With the race track all along the left hand side, and the visual of horses galloping at full speed, take the driver and let it go.  There are triple bunkers left and right, but they really shouldn’t be an  issue.  If you have the distance, go ahead and take it down in two.  However, the smart play is to lay it up to 75 yards for approach.  This is a fair and good hole but it can also catch you swimming.  Personal experience… club selection to the front of the green regardless of pin position.

The par 4, 4th hole, is a lovely design.  Utilizing the horse track as an obstacle in the middle of the fairway, the best decision is to take a drive just to the edge of it.  It is a longer shot in from there, but getting in the track just leaves you dropping.  There is a pond to the right of the green so favoring the left is the idea.  A menacing tree guards the green, as does a bunker that lies 10-15 yards from the putting surface.  Creative work from the designer.  The green is receptive so go ahead and attack the pin.  Personal experience… avoid the tree in the middle at all costs.

The first par 3 of the day, the 5th hole is short and favorable.  With three bunkers standing guard, taking the correct yardage will get you smiling all the way to a low score.  Just pick a spot and swing to it.  The tee box aligns you left so just be aware.  Personal experience… pick the right club.

The 6th hole would be a straight away par 4, except for the frisky little pond that lurks out into the tongue of the fairway, right.  There is absolutely no need for the driver here, even if you can carry it big.  The landing area slopes forward so any bouncing ball will just continue on with all possibility of getting wet.  Fairway metal, hybrid, long iron off the tee and you will walk across the water to the green.  Off to the left is the Galopprennbahn Freudenau. Personal experience… avoid the pond.

The race course in the distance - the beautiful par 4, 6th

A beautiful par 3 enter the picture next.  The tee for hole 7 sets back giving sight to the pond in front and the race track just beyond.  But forget both of those and aim for the trees to the back of the green.  The two bunkers front right and left are not in play so just swing away!  A smaller green does make the shot a little harder, but a good shot just means a shorter putt.  Personal experience… set up on the right side of the tee box for a clear shot in.

The 8th hole is a design of beauty.  Narrow but fair, long but reasonable.  This par 5 is a exactly what is seems from the tee.  Straightaway without a lot of aggravation, except anything far left.  This is a perfect chessboard; just keep playing for the next shot, all the way up the fairway.  Keep it in play and you will be okay!  The green is narrow but long, at least for this course!  Personal experience… miss the pot bunkers 50 yards out from the green.

The front nine ends with a par 3, and a longer one at that.  There is not a lot to say about this hole except to keep your energy and focus and play it as it lies.  For most, playing a shot short of the green will allow for a bump and run into a longer green.

The green at 9 and the halfway house beyond

The turn at GC Wien is in the middle of the course.  You can see the clubhouse but it is a scoot to get there.  However, a small and inviting “halfway house” is a few steps from the 9th green.  Vending machines and restrooms share the space, so just a short stop before heading for more.

The 10th tee box is just ahead.  This is the shortest par 4 on the course and a “welcome to the back nine” from the architect.  Grab the driver, grip it to the end, and let it fly.  There really isn’t much trouble so just have fun.  The green is very narrow so the approach is better with a shorter club. Personal experience… try for a wedge in.

A tough par 4 rounds up at #11 with a tee shot that is demanding and long.  Bunkers to the left are not in sight but do run it up the right side of the fairway.   A small dip in the fairway to the right does bump the ball different ways, so play for the middle.  One of the larger greens on the course, it does receive the hybrids and longer irons.

From the side of the 12th fariway

Narrow but a fair distance, the 12th hole gives you every chance for par or better.  The only real obstacles are those that dot the entry into and around the green.  Other than that, three good shots and you are golden.  For those that can take it deep, this is a go ahead hole.  Even if you land in one of the bunkers, that is okay.  Personal experience… the rough on the left is just fine!

The 13th hole is a little intimidating from the tee but it is a relatively easy hole.  With the race track and water lining the front of the tee boxes, taking it up and over and onto the fairway is step one, setting you up for an easy step two.  One of the larger greens on the course helps build the confidence as a good score will be had.

Over rivers, race tracks and onto the fairway of 13

The 14th hole is one of the easiest holes on the course, and a par 3 at that.  A bee line to the pin with a relatively short club and away you go.  Optically, bunkers come into play, but in reality, they shouldn’t be a nuisance.  They draw your eye forward and backward so just keep centered and you will walk away singing a jig.

The wind can whip on GC Wien - 14th hole

Just as giving as 14 was, 15 can take it all back.  On the card, the yardage doesn’t seem much, but the hole itself sets up to a 8 or 8.5 on the 1-10 scale.  The fairway drops down and toward the two fairway pot bunkers on the right.  Amazingly, they do come into play.  So play it left with all the distance you can.  Again, shorter on the card, but demanding on the course.  Personal experience… miss the bunkers.

With three holes to go, you would hope for a bit of ease.  However, the demanding tee shot on the 16th hole begs to differ.  From a shoot amidst the trees comes a drive for the ages.  The hole is long so a driver is needed.  Anythng right is blocked by trees and anything left will need loft into the green.  Sounds silly, but hit it down the middle, hit it on the green, make the putt.

There is a tee box back there - 16th tee

The last of the par 3s, and the rounding of the race track.  The 17th hole is a good one to say the least.  Again, the scorecard only tells one half of the story, the other half you have to live.  From the tee the green is visible and doable.  Taking the correct club is key to success as the green is fairly big.  Personal experience… add one club.

From the fairway at 18 - Bond, James Bond

And the 18th.  From the back tees you face the track, from the forward, you get to just walk past.  Short by nature, this finishing hole has you gripping and ripping, but the hands best be loose.  Bunkering to the right and left of the fairway will grab the wayward drive, and the driving range lines the right so OB is staked.  But taking it up the center will give you a lovely approach into a narrow green and the last par 4 of the day.   The view to the left just bodes for the music of Mozart, Beethoven or Strauss.  If you are a quartet for the day, just let the music play.

A beautiful day for pictures

What a treat it was to visit the hallowed grounds of the GC Wien. Maybe not the longest course, or the most difficult, but it is one of the most unique and glorious walks in Austria and the game we all love. Where else do you give horses the right of way before launching a driver, or setting up for an approach? Whether you win, place, or show, a round of golf at GC Wien will be one that will settle in your saddle for a very long time. It will grab your heart and nestle into your soul. Then, post round, trot on over to the Altes Jägerhaus, grab a chair outside, and hold space for all you just experienced. Cheers! To the wonderful world of golf!

Not far from the gates of GC Wien - Alters Jägerhaus