Casa Serena Golf Course, the latest professional tournament venue from the books of European Golf Design, hosts the inaugural Casa Serena Open, on the European Seniors Tour between 5-7 September.
An attractive tournament purse of 600,000 Euros has brought out the cream of the Senior Tour with top billing going to the trio of victorious European Ryder Cup captains, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam and Sam Torrance.
Casa Serena Golf Course is the vision of Terry Gou, the chairman of Foxconn, the largest contract manufacturer of electronics worldwide. The course resides deep in the rural Czech countryside, in the village of Roztez, alongside the chateau of the same name that Terry Gou bought and refurbished to be his personal European residence.
The course is for the use of the executives and guests of Foxconn, which has established two major manufacturing plants nearby in the towns of Kutna Hora and Pardubice.
The brief for course architect Robin Hiseman of European Golf Design was to create a course of impeccable quality; capable of hosting professional tournaments. The completed course extends to nearly 7,000 yards, par 71, with full USGA specification, pure bent grass greens.
The course, featuring returning loops of nine holes, has been developed on previously agricultural land, surrounded entirely by dense mixed forest. The twin design priorities were to design a course of intense strategic interest and scenic beauty.
The intricately designed, deep bunkers, undulating fairways and large, angled greens provide ample strategic variety, whilst the carefully conceived routing plan emphasises the inherent beauty of its peaceful, rural location. Vast swathes of deep, flowing fescue grasses provide a rustic frame for the immaculately prepared playing areas.
Robin Hiseman said, “Less than four years ago the site for Casa Serena was nothing more than a series of fields hidden away in the middle of the Czech countryside. To think that we are opening the course by holding such a prestigious event with golfing legends such as Langer, Woosnam and Torrance, plus a host of other well known Senior tour pro’s in attendance, is frankly, rather mindboggling.
“I could never have imagined that when I first visited the site in a November blizzard with mud up to my knees that it would turn out this way, but it is really rather wonderful. The course is going to give them a good test, but plenty of chances to make birdies.
“If they can keep out of the deep bunkers and the fierce fescue rough then a good score is on the cards. It’s a good drivers’ course and the greens are going to be fast, but fair. It has matured superbly and I know they will all be surprised that such a young course can look so mature. They should have a lot of fun out there.”
From being a location that even locals would struggle to pinpoint on a map, the Casa Serena Open is going to showcase this new course to an international audience and help to boost the burgeoning Czech golfing industry. A marker on the world golfing map is assured.
European Golf Design www.egd.com
European Tour www.europeantour.com