Bulgarian PM opens new course

6 June 2011

Pravets's sixteenth green

The new Pravets Golf Club in Bulgaria has been officially opened by the country’s Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov.

Developed by local firm Terra Tour Service, and designed by architect Peter Harradine, Pravets is located around 60km north-east of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia. British firm Braemar Golf provided construction management services, and is also operating the resort on behalf of its owners.

Prime Minister Borisov cut a ribbon in a ceremony also attended by Terra Tour executives Vassil Zlatev and Lachezar Todorov, as well as Keith Haslam, MD of Braemar Golf and Ian Randall, chief executive of the PGAs of Europe. The course will host the PGA Professionals Championship of Europe this October.

Harradine said: “The team has done a fantastic job to get the layout in such a great condition and the greens are some of the best I have seen for such a young course. It is an emotional moment to see the course fully open and I was very pleasantly surprised when I realised that 132 people were playing in the very first 18 hole competition. I feel very proud and happy to be here and to see the finished product. It is good to see people come and play. It is always a happy moment. I am very proud that Pravets is the venue of the PGA Professional Championship of Europe. I hope PGAs of Europe like the course and I wish Pravets all the best with the Bulgarian and European golfers.”

Randall told guests: “I was very excited to see the conclusion of the golf course after seeing it in its building stage last year and seeing it the way it is now. It is a fantastic golf course, a great setting and it is going to prove an exciting challenge for the pros. There are many risk and reward holes which will provide exciting tournament play. One of the greatest things is your slogan ‘Everyone Can Play’. Let all people of all ages and economic backgrounds play golf! I love it so much.”