June 2009 Issue 14 www.discoverpl.com £2.99 London | Business | Lifestyle | Travel

Luxury: City Focus: Sport Issue Beautiful Gdańsk Amber everything that you need Cover Story: Sport in on page 16 Jewellery to know about the beautiful on page 70 Baltic city on page 38

Hunting for treasure in Poland’s fl ea markets Page 62

What’s Your Sport? - Play in Poland Sport in Poland

Poland is a great destination for the keen golfer. There are some excellent courses in Poland, many of which have been designed by some of the world’s leading golf course architects, and which boast world- class facilities.

illiam Siwek, President of ship broker. Following the lead ber of the club in 1992 when the the land’s many natural contours WGdańsk Golf and Country of some of the major ship build- course only had 13 holes. would provide for an incredible Club in Postołowo talks to Dis - ers in Europe, I relocated to Cy- The initial investors were two setting for his first design in Po - cover Poland about the growing prus, where I continued to run couples from Sweden, who de - land. popularity of golf in Poland. the business. During this time cided to build a championship The land selected for the golf abroad, I found myself making caliber golf course in Poland in course integrated the remains of You have a background in engineer- regular visits back to Gdańsk, to 1989, before the anti-communist an abandoned gravel pit which ing - how did you end up in the golf catch up with old friends. It was revolution. They engaged the provided excellent natural fea- industry? during one of these trips that a British-born golf architect, Jere- tures to construct some dramatic “After graduating from the good friend took me to visit a my Turner, who had been recom- golf holes. Jeremy said to the in- Technical University of Gdańsk, new golf club called Gdańsk Golf mended to them by the Swedish vestors when first laying eyes on I moved to Germany, where I and Country Club, which was be- Golf Association. After seeing the the site: “Wow... this course could set up an engineering consul- ing built some 32 km south of the land for the first time, Jeremy be a Rolls Royce... but can you tancy bureau, ship supplier and city of Gdańsk. I became a mem - fell in love with it and knew that afford to build it properly?” The

32 June 09 investors said “Yes” however two years into the project the two cou- ples ran out of money after build- ing only 13 holes. The search for investors to save the project began in 1993. I was one of many people to have received an offer to invest in the project. The search for investors continued for a further two years. In 1995, the situation became dire, as there wasn’t even a single drop of petrol to power the lawn mow- ers, and the grass on the greens had grown too tall. A dramatic call from the Swedes to save the course convinced me to take control of the project on 10 October 1995. It was simply too good a piece of land to let the course fade away. Several people who had seen the course and the land identi- fied for the remaining five holes and who also were familiar with golf throughout Europe, told me SAFES AFE OOUTPATIENTUTPATIENT CCORRECTIONORRECTION that the potential for the course subject to us finishing the project as per Jeremy’s drawings was that OF ALL EYE DISORDERS it could achieve Top 100 status in Europe. Naturally there were heavy ob- jections from my wife Gaby, who knew the scope of the work ahead. Additionally, land investments in Poland were limited back in 1995, and it was for these two reasons www.wco.com.pl that the negotiations to purchase  the project took 3 days and 2 nights. In the end, Gaby told me, “It’s your decision!” The golf course was completed in 1997, and the club house was in Poland, a country of some Today, there are approximately especially when you bear in mind opened in June 1997, one day be- 40 million people. At that time, 3,000 registered golfers and an that we started form zero just 15 fore a big international golf tour- there were three golf courses in additional 5,000 non-registered years ago.” nament, the Hansa Cup. The rest existence: Warsaw Golf Club, players. There are new golf devel- is history…” Amber Baltic in Międzyzdroje opment projects in every part of What can you tell us about those and Gdańsk Golf & Country Club. Poland, and the numbers of golf- early days of golf in Poland? How popular is golf in Poland? Those three clubs came together ers is increasing rapidly, especially “They were very tough times. “Back in 1993, there was a to form the in during the past two years. The There were very few golfers at that total of 50 registered golfers 1993. prospects are good for the future, time, and the local authori ties

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were against us because they Karmelitow died a few years ago – our future plans include a our did not understand the game though their vision will never be star hotel, over 700 single fam- and what it represented. In the forgotten.” ily and multi-family residential beginning, the attitude towards units, a host of on-site ameni- golf in Poland was very negative. How long did it take to design and ties including a spa, sports club, The general perception was that build Gdańsk Golf and Country community and business centres it was an exclusive game for rich, Club? along with a number of other lazy people, driving buggies and “This is something of an open- commercial venues.” smoking cigars. It is amazing how ended story. Construction on times have changed, and how the the golf course began in 1989 Gdańsk Golf & Country Club has improved and still today remains a work welcomed a number of golfers has helped to bring so many new in progress. Like all works of art, from Western Europe and Scan- people to the sport.” there are always some minor im- dinavia – what attracts them to provements to be done. In the Postołowo? What was the initial inspiration end, it is a labour of love.” “Apart from the world-class behind Gdańsk Golf and Country golf experience, there are excel- Club? In terms of facilities, how does lent shopping outlets. Many of “Matti Idman , Kony Gdańsk Golf & Country Club the branded products offered in Karmelitow and their wives, the compare to the more popular golf other European countries are two Swedish couples that I men - clubs in Europe? actually produced in Poland and tioned previously, saw the golf “I feel that our facilities are as a result, are less expensive to boom in Sweden at the end of the on par with golf clubs in Swe - purchase in Poland. It is also in- 1980s, and felt that there were den and Germany. We are in the expensive to fly to Poland as there going to be some big changes in process of looking for investors are several inexpensive flights Europe. The Solidarity achieve - to help us realise the full poten- from the United Kingdom, Ger- ments of Poland provided a tial for Gdańsk Country Club many and Scandinavia directly to new opportunity to transfer and Golf Resort. We have com- Gdańsk airport. The golf course Europe’s golf culture to a post- pleted the master plan with an is located 32km down the mo- communist Poland. Sadly, both award winning master planning torway from the airport, a drive Wiliam Siwek founders Matti Idman and Kony company from the United States that takes just twenty minutes.

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34 June 09 Sport in Poland

destinations – in what way do you we resolve some of the growing think that this situation will change pains, like educating the govern- in the future? ment on the business model and “There is only one issue to removing the ground taxation, be resolved for Poland to obtain the game will continue to flourish the status of a proper golf des- and grow. Our love for the game tination. The government must is just beginning and Poland is formerly recognise golf as a sport only just starting to write its own and remove the ground taxation golfing history.” on golf courses. The government currently continues to tax golf courses as if they were automo- tive factories. This ground taxa- tion must be changed in order for Further Information the game to survive in Poland. The current ground taxation For further information on Gdańsk laws are ridiculous because they Golf & Country Club, visit www. And of course, we couldn’t talk Golf & Country Club for the first are disproportionate to the level golf.com.pl about this part of Poland without time? of revenue that can be achieved mentioning the nightlife in So - “They are all surprised. They in running a golf course as a busi- pot, with the legendary SPATiF don’t expect this level of qual- ness. It is an issue that the Polish Map bar, where the fun does not start ity in a country like Poland They Golf Union is working hard to until after midnight – just don’t all say that this is the best value correct.” book your tee time too early for for money golf experience in Eu- POSTOŁOWO morning after!” rope.” How do you see the future of golf in Poland? Will more and more What is the most common com- Compared to Portugal and Scot- take it up? Will we see new clubs ment or feedback from golfers land for instance, Poland is per- emerging across the country? from Western Europe and Scan- haps not be the first place that “The future is bright for golf dinavia when they visit Gdańsk you think of when it comes to golf in Poland. I am certain that once

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