Lipica Golf Club

9 holes op een toeristisch complex rond een stoethouderij van de beroemde Lippizaner paarden. Baan is niet heel spectaculair maar speelt wel lastig. Geen water, nauwelijks bunkers maar de uitdaging is de bal op de fairway te houden. Voor restaurant moet je een stukje lopen naar hotel/casino. Kleedkamers zijn er wel, en goed. Let op: voor parkeren moet je daar betalen!

Gelegen op de stoeterij maar toch helemaal zelfstandig. Prachtige baan met lange holes. Wat hoogteverschillen maar alleen op hole 9 bepalend. Dubbele tee-boxen om tot 18 holes te komen op de 9 holes baan. Daarmee enige variatie in afstand aangebracht. Hele vriendelijke en hulpvaardige ontvangst door de caddie-master. Geen horecafaciliteiten op een koffie en blikjes automaat na. De stoeterij heeft wel voorzieningen maar die hebben wij niet benut. Fairways zijn erg droog, die kunnen lang niet overal besproeid worden. De greens wel, dat was prima. Weinig prijsverschil tussen 9 en 18 holes, daardoor relatief duur voor 9. Leuke ronde in mooi landschap en zeer rustige omgeving.

The clubhouse offers indoor and outdoor dining with a view of the gulf of Trieste.

The clubhouse and changing rooms are well-appointed and the staff is welcoming and helpful. Italian, English, German and Slovenian is spoken. Driving range, chipping area and 2 putting greens available. Golf carts and hand carts are available for rental. Small golf shop items available.

What the course lacks in length it more than makes up with in challenging narrow fairways which reward precision and strategy off the tee. At the same time it is accessible even to novice players. The course itself offer beautiful views of the gulf and the Italo-Slovenian Karst. Dotted with unique and beautiful native plant species as well as abundant fauna.

Members are friendly and welcoming to guests.

Driving range has everything that you need. Range balls were a bit battered, but I didn't really care. This course is a bit on a difficult side. First hole a pretty straight forward short par 4 with out lines both left and right (driving range) and smaller green. Second hole is a first difficult one dogleg right par 4. I consider myself an average hitter (230 carry) and I had never reached fairway if it hit it over the trees on the right. I played this course at least ten times over the course of 15 years and I have given up trying to hit it over the shorcut. I aim just right the big tree on the left side of the fairway where the fairway breaks to the right. It leaves you a nice chance to reach the green in 2. The third is a shorter par 3 where you have to put in account the height of the green. The fourth is a nice par 5, where you tee it off the hill to the descending fairway. It gets complicated with 2nd and 3rd shot as the hole has some strategic traps setup. The fifth is a dogleg left - the most difficult hole in my point of view. You have to drive it long enough and right enogh to be able to reach the gree with the second shot and to avoid the trees on the left side. I believe those trees on the left got a bit out of control over time as surely the course designer didn't anticipate they would pose additional obstacle. The sixth is an uphill par 5 with a really wide fairway. Always take the upslope into account when choosing the right club. The seventh is a medium/long par 3 (depends on if you're playing 9 od 18) with bunkers both left and right and green a bit raised. The 8th hole is another difficult dogleft left with out of bounds line on the right side of the fairway. The out of bounds is a most likely outcome if you slice the ball. I usually hit it over the trees aiming just right of the green. If you're a bit short throughout the shortcut you land the ball in the middle of the trees, but they're not that close together so you can still have a nice passage to the green. The last hole is par 4/5 (if you play 18 holes the tee box is a bit farther back). It's another ridiculusly hard hole. If you slice it, it's gone. If you're short you won't reach in two. If you're short on par 5 you will land it in the valley. It's a pretty challenging course. When you play it a few times it gets easier.

nice golf course, played in the winter...