Romanian Golf History

Before the Second World War, there were 6 golf courses in Romania: one in Bucharest (Bucharest Country Club as first name of Diplomatic Club), 2 golf courses on the seaside (one at Mamaia and one at Eforie Nord), one at Teleajen (designed by Americans) and one near Bucharest, at Buftea (that belonged to Stirbei Prince). Two of them were destroyed during the war; the other 4 had been in use until 1948 when the politic communist regime decided closing them.

The only 18 holes golf course that existed in Romania in communist period was “Diplomatic Club”. The English Golf Professor G.T. Baker designed plans for this golf course in 1937. As result of the communist period this Club has only 6 holes for now.

Nowadays, the Diplomatic Executive Golf Course has in its beautiful location – Herastrau Park large conference meeting rooms, reception saloons, tennis courts, swimming pool, mini-football field, bar-restaurant-terrace.

In 1938, The London Professional Golf Association awarded the Title of Golf Professor to Mr. Paul Tomita who dedicated all his life to this sport.
Professor Paul Tomita spend all his life playing golf in all European countries and some golf courses from USA and was the particular professor for entire king family and well fair Romanian families of that period.
He represented our country to 7 World Championships (Italy (1968), England (1969), Singapore (1969), Czech Republic (1970), Argentina (1970), USA (1971), Australia (1972), Spain 1973), contributed to first 18 holes course building and accomplished with R&A help (45.000 pounds) the first private golf course in Romania opened in 1995 (at Pianu de Jos, his native village near Alba Iulia).

Existing golf courses

Diplomatic Golf Course – 6 holes (with planed extension until 9), driving range, swimming pool, tennis courts, footbal field, conference center, restaurants.

“Paul Tomita” Golf Club has 18 holes, 70 ha, par 72, Club House, swimming pool, Hotel, restaurant.
Until 2008 there was only 9 holes played from 1995. For sure is the most beautiful course within Romania at this time and represents the place where the  most important national golf competitions are organized. Actually here in 2008 was organized the first International official open amateurs championship under BMW brand.

“Lac de Verde” Golf Club is the newest golf course in Romania and is a 9 holes golf course, designed by a 50 years experience professional golf player (vice champion of Hawaii and member of PGA of Hawaii Aloha Section) – Ronald Castillo. This person is the one who gave first golf lesson to the President of “Lac de Verde” Golf Club back in 1998 and organized intensive golf programs (in 2001) for the 16 persons initial instructors’ team from “Lac de Verde”.

Bucharest Golf & Country Club
The only PGA Golf Academy from Romania represented now in their Driving Range near Bucharest (Chitila, Zurbaua, 5 km from Bucharest). A property of 90 ha along old forest, nice surroundings and near by huge investments will bring an 18 holes exclusivist golf course associated with a 6 holes for not members.

Selas Golf & Polo Club
30 km from Bucharest, 9 holes golf course, polo field, clubhouse, swimming pool, tennis court. (www.selas.ro) The owner has 2 other golf projects surrounded by real estate investments, both pretty close to Bucharest.  

Tite Golf Resort
25 km from Timisoara. 35 ha, guest house, 2 ha driving range, 9 holes golf course. Starting with July 2007 this Club strongly developed, as number of players and competitions, because of a strong local new group of investors. Good contribution is to be mentioned also, Marius Popescu involvement as administrator of the Club and coach.

Novotel Bucharest
New 5 star hotel in Bucharest Centre, opened early 2007. At the end of 2007 they also made operational a 35.000 euro value golf simulator that draws pretty high number of clients all year round.

Organizational matters

On 22nd of September 2004, Romanian Golf Federation was established, representing the only authority on the game of golf in Romania. Members of Romanian Golf Federation are clubs or sport associations as founders from the entire country that have golf as their main or second sport section:
1. Professional Golf Sport Club ”Lac de Verde “
2. Professional Golf Sport Club ”Herastrau “
3. Golf Sport Club Suceava
4. Vointa Targu Mures Association
5. Sport Club Steaua Breaza
6. Sport Club Dinamic Sport Ploiesti
7. "Club Tite Golfresort" Association
8. “ Paul Tomita” Golf Club

In Romania, an estimated number of 3,000 people, mostly foreigners play golf. There are around 500 registered romanian amateur players with handicap between 6 and 36. Of course players number is constantly increasing as a result of more sportive programs provided by each golf course. 

On 25th of April, 2005 Federation become member of  the Romanian Olympic Sportive Committee. One of the primary goals of Romanian Golf Federation was for golf to be recognized as an Olympic Sport again and it happen in 2009. 

Federation received financial support from the ROSC twice (in 2006 and 2007) and our golfers participated in 2006 at International Amateur Open of Hungary, Turkey, Slovenia and in 2007 continued only with Junior European important events.

Golf programs and intensive courses

During last 8 years, demonstrative golf lessons and intensive courses were performed in order to spread the game of golf throughout Romania.
The most important commercial romanian and international companies along the highest rank authorities of different domains, have organized team building activities; asking on daily basis 2-hours golf sessions ended by aptitude tests. The number of those companies exceeded different 400.

Target of Romanian Golf Clubs has also been to bring more and more families to spend their holiday’s trough golf, by offering them special lessons packages.

Especially Paul Tomita and Lac de Verde golf courses had provided, in last 8 years, free intensive golf program for romanian children and foreigner as well (such as: Greece, Italy, France, etc).

In September 2002, CNN produced at “Lac de Verde” a video report about Romanian junior golf and was broadcast worldwide (you may see it on federation site at this link.
CNN made a presentation of intensive junior golf programs and summer programs for children from “Lac de Verde” Golf Club, that proved even from then - a good quality Romanian junior golf players and junior national level competitions.  

Kids were also given equipment, clubs and ball. Starting from 2001 “Lac de Verde” Golf Club along Paul Tomita Golf Club, has had many enquiries from high schools and families for junior golf camp.
Camps lasted an entire week and children had a complete program: stretching, presentation of R&A golf rules (presented in English or translated in Romanian), computerized analyze of the swing, exams for checking the understanding of etiquette and golf regulations, as well as training on the golf course.
“Lac de Verde” has organized all Romanian junior golf national championships (you may receive many pictures for this; there was 15 competitions) sponsored by different companies and by “Lac de Verde”.

At this moment the absence of a European golf championship is felt, as Romanian children need a motivation to go on and trust in their forces.

Through the Golf Club magazine, a constant information has been made on the game of golf, there were made more materials for a better understanding of this game, the second edition of the book “Golf Guide” was published (it contains information on golf history, structure of golf courses, presentation of golf equipment), there were also published articles on rules of golf and golf etiquette; “ABC Golf” was published  – a course of golf with pictures for children age 6 – 12; it was also published a “Golf Dictionary”. 
R&A Golf Rules book is well known as main authority concerning golf rules and practical way of playing this game. 

Starting from early 2008 a new magazine took place of the old one that finished publishing  during summer 2007. Golf & Life Style is indeed a beautiful and professional informal medium for all that means the interest of golf within Romania, concerning through others strong up date on Masters level competitions winners and Romania competition calendar. You may find more details at: www.golflifestyle.ro.

Golf Championships

Romanian golf competition activity was carried during 4 consecutive seasons (2001-2004) under the coordination of “Paul Tomita”, “Lac de Verde”, “Diplomatic”, “Tite Golf Resort” Golf Clubs and competitions were held in accordance with international regulations in use determined by the R&A.
There were golf competitions on a national level, organized by those golf courses and sponsored by their partners and company members (example: BMW, Orange, Transilvania Bank, Romtelecom, Siemens, Elvila, Mercedes, Intersig, etc).

Between 2001 and 2003, more than 25 golf competitions were organized at “Lac de Verde”, “Bucharest Diplomatic” Golf Club and “Paul Tomita” Golf Club.

In 2004, there were 17 golf competitions organized in locations above mentioned.
Between sponsors we must name at least a few: Mercedes, Volvo, BMW, Marriott, Toshiba, Carlsberg, Lukoil, Interbrew, Petrom, Elvila, AIG, Aviva, British American Tobacco, Omniasig, Siemens, Asirom, ING Bank, HVB Bank, National Bank, ABN Amro, Henkel, British Airways, Holcim etc.  We would like to mention here that BMW sponsored the participation of the Romanian winner to represent our country at the word Amateur Golf Final BMW International for 6 years consecutively starting with 2002 until today and will continue next years.

In 2005, qualifying golf competitions have been organized under the authority of Romanian Golf Federation, there have been 27 competitions (seniors, juniors) organized in 2 locations: Breaza, Pianu.
At each event, mass media representatives were present and all the time articles and publicity spot were published in important newspapers and magazines: Volvo Magazine, Insight Tarom, Viva, Romania Libera, Evenimentul Zilei, Academia Catavencu, Pro Sport, “Golf Club” Review, Olivia, BMW Golf Magazine, Regata, Cotidianul, Romania Pitoreasca, Bucharest Business Week, Playboy, etc; television and radio programs broadcast at national level.
In the main financial daily-newspaper (Ziarul Financiar), a continuous editorial regarding golf activity with all necessary details appeared for more than a year (spring 2003- end of 2004 period).

Romanian Golf Federation’s International relations

In December 2004, Dr. Asanache President of Romanian Golf Federation together with Marius Popescu – general secretary of Romanian Golf Federation, participated in Spain at Annual General Meeting of Professional Golf Association of Europe Congress. By this were established contacts that proved very useful for future plans of the Romanian golf development, reffering to later on 2006 membership for Romanian Federation at all 5 most important international golf authorities.
 
Already from autumn of 2005 Romanian Golf Federation become member at EGA.
In the last months of 2005, the necessary steps for the affiliation to R&A, IGF, USGA were made through correspondence, and resolved from early 2006 summer when our Federation was recognized as a full member to all this international associations and authorities in golf.
 
Romanian Golf Federation also paid the expenses of an official trip in Austria of 5 golf instructors in order to be legitimated at European Golf Teachers Federation. The intensive course took 1-week In Austria (2004 autumn) and the Vice President from EGTF – Mr. Bill Abbott conducted it. Names of the team that received the EGTF membership nad diploma: Marius Popescu, Ciprian Serbanoiu, Andrei Toma, Adrian Bondoc, Gabriel Iusan.

In February 2007 a group of 3 instructors graduated an intensive 2 years college course trough Romanian Sport Agency (Sportive Trainers National School) that provided the title of golf sportive trainers in accordance with Romanian law. Names of those three are: Marius Popescu, Adrian Bondoc, Ovidiu Brebene.

Marius Popescu, at that time general secretary of the federation, and Ovidiu Brebene Golf Instructor from Lac de Verde, participated at the R&A International Referee Exam held in February 2006 at St. Andrews.

Something that could also be seen as a success is Marius Popescu presence as general secretary of Romanian Golf Federation at 2005 Golf Business Congress from St. Andrews. The reason for this is that by discussing with Development Director of the R&A Mr. Duncan Weir, Romania immediately received an important donation of 40 new Taylor Made golf bags for junior’s development (many thousands of pounds goods worth).

A Swiss PGA Coach Mr. Stephane Barras held a week of seminars in Romania for our golf instructors and another one for golf players – in July 2006.
PGA Coach Jan Jorgen de Vries from Holland held another seminar, more practical than first, with our golf instructors and players in August 2006.
The idea was to have some options in order to choose a national coach involved in future plans of Romanian golf development.

Considerably is also the interest shown in 2006 by IMG International to be involved in the future of Romanian golf that is considered on real basis – very promising. Remains to be seen, in what way will be practical proved by near future.

For sure, the most important point from golf history until December 2008 in Romania, consumed when PGAsE and R&A official representatives came to know for themselves which are the problems faced by the emerging golf industry from Romania. Those officials confirmed their presence early 2007, at Marius Popescu (than general secretary of the Federation) invitation.

Kevin Barker, the assistant of the Directors of Rules from the R&A organized a rules seminar at the Federation office and the final exam of this event proved successful for almost all participants.  Also he had discussions with federation officials.

PGAsE delegation consisted in 2 key persons: Mr. Leif Ohlsson the Chairman of the Educational Committee and Mr. Tony Bennett the Director of the same Committee.

They wanted a complete report on the actual stage of development in romanian golf, to identify which are the difficulties, in what way they might help and more important if plans for future are well understood/constructed by the federation along all key individuals of the sector.     

All international Golf Authorities knows, in detailed matter, what means golf in Romania today. They also are up dated on what should happen in medium and long time future. For example, even if it was aproved by the Federation as national coach, Mr. Pascal Simard could not put in place strongest development program because of reasons well known by some and un known by the majority...

Still, romanian golf activity has developed pretty fast. One example is: 32 golf national competitions in the official 2006 calendar of the Federation and by the end of 2009 the number increased by 40% per each year.
Romanian people want to take part in championships, first by becoming a member (as company), than by receiving golf lessons and not in the end by bringing their family and friends on the golf courses.

Romania, by today extraordinarily investments (as next article proves), pretty soon, qualifies as highly tempting tourist luxury golf destination. This way is also assured the golden opportunity for Romanian future players to ascend at competitive PGA level golf Tours and why not even Masters.
If you have any question or you need any help regarding golf in Romania please don’t hesitate to contact us also.
All the best regards and whishes from Romania, one of the next best golf destination within Europe!