Course Review
Royal Bled
bled, sloavenia
Historic Fairways with Royal Heritage
AMW Faves List
Favorite Par 3 – #10 – picturesque and full of temptation. Beautiful island green that will challenge your every nerve.
Favorite Par 4 – #14 – to the eye this hole is perfection; to the golfer this hole is a bear.
Favorite Par 5 – #12 – one of the only real chances of birdie on the course. Long but still reachable.
Favorite Hole Design – #15 – just a fun hole with a blind tee shot down the hill and to a beautifully manicured green.
Easiest Hole – #7 – a brilliantly designed hole with a yardage that is manageable.
Hardest Hole -#1 – a big opening hole that demands a large drive and accurate second shot.
Favorite Extra Sighting – the church hidden into the mountainside, view to Lake Bled.
Favorite Apres Golf – drinks and nibbles on the terrace at Royal Bled, walk around Bled and Ljubljana.
Where to Stay – Royal Bled…the end. It is “Heaven on Earth.” But for one more…Chalet Sofija. There is nowhere like it.
Where to Eat – Royal Bled, Julijana (Bled), Milka (Kranjska Gora), Pino Alpino (Kranjska Gora)
PLAN AHEAD
Course Details
Address: Vrba 37a, 4248 Lesce, Slovenia
Telephone: +386 (0) 1 200 99 01
Website: royalbled.com
Director of Golf: Daniel Kraljic
Architect: Rudolf von Gelmini; redesigned by Donald Harradine
Year Open: 1937, 1972
Greens Fees: ⛳️⛳️⛳️⛳️⛳️
Yardage: Black; White – 6563; White – 6212; Yellow – 6012; Blue – 5542; Red – 5218 *all in meters
What You Need to Know
It's AMW Story Time!
Steeped in history with a Royal name
This course in Bled will test your game
With the Julian Alps rising to the sky
There is magic around and all know why
A walk in nature pure and regal as this
Feel grateful and blessed you did not miss
The chance to play Europe’s golf of old
Memories abound and held close like gold
How to even begin this story or more appropriate, fairytale. Knight in shining armor with a damsel in distress; a chariot guided by the most beautiful Lippizan horses, picnic for two on the pristine shores of Lake Bled…though measured in greatness to anyone’s romantic standards, compared to the grounds of Royal Bled, only second place they will take.
With a chosen location by the Austrian, Rudolph van Gelmini, Drava Banovina, a province of the Kingdom of [then] Yugoslavia purchased land in the meadow not far from the waters of Lake Bled. "X" marked the spot of terrain that would avail itself to the dream of the royal family Karadordvić to build a treasure, a golf course, the first in the region. With additional oversight by fellow architect and colleague to van Gelmini, Desedier Lauber (Hungarian), the initial nine holes were opened in 1937. Unfortunately, in 1938, though the remaining holes were completed, the dream would be dismantled due to the outbreak of WWII. After many years lying dormant, heart and soul returned to the land near the lake, spawning a new love of the game. In 1975, The Golf Club Bled was founded and in 1977 there was a grand opening with spikes hitting the hallowed grounds. But remember, this was still Yugoslavia. It was not until 1991 that Slovenia broke away and claimed independence. Then in 2015, in a valiant effort to groom the course for royal standards, Howard Swan was commissioned to redesign, goals of grandeur in mind. After two years, a test of golf fit for a King and Queen reopened, and with the prestige and honor of a Royal. Recognized amidst the Top 25 in Europe and recently breaking into the World’s Top 100, it is hard to capture even a tenth of how special this place really is. But we will give it our best shot.
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