Is This The Finest Course In A Country Where You’ve Not Played Golf? We Reveal All…

Not too many people visit the Czech Republic for golf, but as this fine example reveals, its stock is rising fast

Oaks Prague - Hole 11
The eleventh hole at Oaks Prague is a beautiful par 3 played slightly downhill to a very well protected green
(Image credit: Kevin Murray)
Rob Smith
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PGA National - Oaks Prague

The Czech Republic, or Chechia, is now home to more than 100 golf courses. Situated just a few miles south-east of the historic and cultural city of Prague, the course at PGA National Czech Republic is part of the upmarket Oaks Prague country estate, a modern development of high-end property. It was designed by leading architect Kyle Phillips, the man responsible for some of the UK’s finest newer and more recent developments such as Kingsbarns, The Grove and Dundonald Links. All three of these are in the Golf Monthly Top 100 courses of the UK and Ireland.

  • GF: £110-£125
  • Stats: Par 72, 6,616 yards

Oaks Prague - Hole 2

The second hole is a strong par 4 with a lovely pond beyond the green

(Image credit: Kevin Murray)

Fully opening in 2020, it has quickly gained a reputation as one of, if not the very best courses in the country. As you would expect from the name, oaks and plenty of other specimen trees do feature, but there is much of the course that is on far more open terrain as well. Never is there the slight sense of claustrophobia you sometimes get at more tree-lined courses.

Oaks Prague - Hole 7

The seventh is another long two shotter played to a 2-tier green, low on the left, high on the right

(Image credit: Kevin Murray)

Unusually, and refreshingly for a modern design, water is conspicuous by its almost complete absence. Instead, the architect’s bunkering is the greatest defence here with his bold, larger-than-life statements key to the strategy and the visual framing of the holes. Avoid them, and there is still much to think about on the large, contoured greens.

Oaks Prague - Hole 18

The closing hole at Oaks Prague is a suitably tough par 4 with a steep approach to the green

(Image credit: Kevin Murray)

The course is kept in magnificent shape with carpet-like fairways and greens that are true and fast, and it received glowing praise from the DP World Tour professionals in the 2024 D+D Real Czech Masters which was won by Frenchman David Ravetto with a mightily impressive score of 23 under par. With plenty of golf courses in the Prague area, the city makes for a fascinating and quite different golfing destination. The Oaks Prague also has stay and play deals that will appeal to the travelling golfer looking for somewhere new and different.

Rob Smith
Rob Smith
Contributing Editor

Rob Smith has been playing golf for over 45 years and been a contributing editor for Golf Monthly since 2012. He specialises in course reviews and travel, and has played well over 1,200 courses in almost 50 countries. In 2021, he played all 21 courses in East Lothian in 13 days. Last year, his tally was 81, 32 of them for the first time. One of Rob's primary roles is helping to prepare the Top 100 Courses of the UK&I, of which he has played all, as well as the Next 100 where his count is now on 96. He has been a member of Tandridge for 30 years where his handicap hovers around 15. You can contact him at r.smith896@btinternet.com.

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