The Streif – it is the holiest strip of ski racing real estate on the planet – a place where heaven and hell occupy the same space in late January every year when the world’s fastest and bravest downhillers test their mettle on it’s steep slopes at a spine tingling race called the Hahnenkamm.

It is a bucket list location for all true lovers of ski racing, but when the summer sun melts the snow, the Streif turns into a lush green alpine pasture, and parts of this stunning slice of paradise transform into one of the most breathtakingly scenic golf courses in the world.

A dream destination on my golfing bucket list for years, I finally got to play it this past September when I made my way to Kitzbühel, the home of The Hahnenkamm (which is German for “rooster’s comb”) during a grand tour of the Alps. But the magnificent Hahnenkamm golf course, who’s real name is Red Bull Golf am Rasmushof, wasn’t the only track I played while in Kitzbühel, which was the seventh and final stop on my “Best of the Alps” golf tour through Italy, France, Switzerland, and Austria. This storied ski town has three other spectacular golf courses, and I got to play them all with local friends who, like me, are ski and golf junkies. Here then is a recap of my time on the links in Kitzbühel, with a few extra bits of info on where to stay and dine while in the area.

GOLFING IN KITZBÜHEL

Red Bull Golf am Rasmushof

Located right next to the famed Red Bull “Zielhaus” (Finish House) at the bottom of the Streif, on a very choice parcel of the ski racing world’s holiest of Holy Lands, this fabulous, rock and rolling 9-hole, par-27 track is one of the funnest golf courses you’ll ever play.

With magnificent views of the nearby Wilder Kaiser mountain range, the first four holes of the course take you up and down a series of challenging par-3s as you wind your way back onto the sacred ground of the Streif for the last five holes. Ski racing fans will get an extra kick out of the hole markers as each one is named after a famous section of the Streif. Holes two and three are called  “Mausefalle” (mousetrap) and “Steilhang” (steep slope) – two of the most gut-challenging and iconic sections of the Hahnenkamm race course, but oddly enough the most testing part of the Red Bull golf course is hole No. 7 – named “Lärchenschuss” which is one of the Streif’s less treacherous sections.

“This course is an absolute must if you’re a ski racing fan who loves golf, you must tick it off your bucket list,” my long-time friend Tony Dunne, a legend of Kitzbühel nightlife scene who tends bar at Flannigans Sports Bar, one of the town’s most popular watering holes, tells me just before we tee off on the dreaded 7th hole.

“This hole is just below the final jump on the Streif, and is basically do or die, so not necessarily my favorite. If you hit the green you’re good to go, but if you miss the green to the right your ball will roll back down the hill a very long way, and you’ll be doing a lot of uphill climbing after your second shot. I usually end up doing a lot of walking on this hole,” Dunne adds with a laugh before hitting a perfect 160-yard downhill shot onto the green, setting up an impressive two-putt par.

I unfortunately bounce my ball off the side of the green, and then watch it plummet down the hill toward the Streif’s finish line faster than Cyprien Sarrazin or Marco Odermatt on a good day. After a decent approach shot, and a long, sweaty climb up the race course I make bogey and smile as I walk on the tracks of my ski racing heroes, something I’ll never forget, and can’t wait to do again!

GOLF EICHENHEIM – KITZBÜHEL, AURACH

“The first thing you need to know about Eichenheim is, as golf courses go, it’s a work of art lovingly created, sculpted, painted, or however you want to describe it, on the incredible canvas of nature that is the beautiful Kitzbüheler Alps,” Countess Sophia Luise von Schaesberg tells me as we make a few practice swings on the first tee at Golf Eichenheim – Kitzbühel Aurach, regarded by many as one of Austria’s most jaw-droppingly gorgeous mountain golf courses.

“There are definitely some panoramas here that will blow your mind,” Isi (that’s what we actually call her), a scratch golfer who drives, chips, and putts like a pro, and also happens to be one of my oldest Kitzbühel ski pals, tells me with a smile before launching an impressive drive down the fairway, on a perfect late summer day under blue skies and sunshine.

And the countess is not exaggerating, Eichenheim (as locals call it) is a big, bold, beauty with heart-stopping panoramic vistas around every corner of its 6662-yard verdant footprint. Designed by renowned American golf course architect Kyle Phillips, Eichenheim is an 18-hole, par-71, championship track on a huge piece of land situated in between the majestic Hohe Tauern and Wilder Kaiser mountain ranges.

Built in 2000, Phillips design stays true to Mother Nature’s blueprint, as the course winds up and down mountainsides, surrounded by a lush deciduous forest, jagged cliffs, crystal clear alpine streams, and pastoral farm lands with a golf gallery of friendly cows occasionally mooing as you swing and putt!

One of my favorite holes was the 538-yard, par-5 third, an absolute stunner off an elevated tee down into a green valley with a rustic alpine hut on the left, and some bunkers on the right. We played it a few days after a freak September blizzard (click here to read that story https://bit.ly/3BjH9v0) and the dusting of snow on the Kitzbühler Alps in the distance was pure mountain magic!

The signature hole on this course – par-3 No. 12 – is a heart-stopper, with a full frontal, in-your-face view of the rugged Wilder Kaiser range directly behind the green. The visuals on this hole are otherworldly, and hard to describe as you almost feel like you can touch the mountains as you approach the green. This is one of the most-beautiful golf holes you’ll ever play, and will stay with you long after you putt out on 18.

GOLFPLATZ KITZBÜHEL- SCHWARZSEE-REITH

You know you’re golfing in a very special place, when you look up from the practice area and spot hot air balloons floating across a panorama of jagged, snow-capped mountain peaks high above a lush alpine valley. This was my introduction to Golfplatz (golf course) Kitzbühel Schwarzsee-Reith, a sprawling 6675-yard, 18-hole championship course which has six of the toughest holes I’ve ever played back to back (treacherous water hazards, devilishly placed bunkers) before transforming into an unbelievably scenic mountain track.

“I love that you have two different types of course in one place,” my great ski pal Count Joseph Werner Walther Heinrich Maria von Schaesberg (aka Jovi…who laughed his a$$ off when I forced him to give me his full name for the purposes of me trying to be funny in the telling of this story about his aristocratic background – which he normally tries to hide) tells me just before we tee off on a gloriously sunny morning in Kitzbühel.

“The first nine is a really nice, flat, parkland course, with mountains in the back with views of the Hahnenkamm, the Wilder Kaiser, and the Kitzbüheler Horn on all sides. And then after the first nine, the course turns into an alpine style course which goes higher and higher into the mountains,” Jovi adds before pounding a drive straight into the heart of the first fairway.

After some very subpar play on the punishing front nine, the Kitzbühel golf gods take pity on my scorecard, and I chip in for par on No. 13 (an impressive 520-yard par-5). On the next hole, the  par-3 14th, I manage to wrangle a par after launching a 135-yard tee shot over a small pond and onto the dancefloor – which clearly impresses the two dozen cows watching directly next to the green – who moo at me as I approach. I follow this up with miraculous pars on 15, 16, and 17, and after a once-in-a-lifetime drive on 18, mark a birdie on my scorecard on a very tough final hole. My miraculous back 9, puts me in a very celebratory mood as I stroll into the 19th hole at Schwarzsee’s (that’s what locals call this course) clubhouse restaurant for some post-golf drinkeepoos and lunch – but more on that in a little bit…

GOLFCLUB KITZBÜHEL (aka KAPS)

Built around a towering, white, 17th-century castle called Schloss Kaps, Golfclub Kitzbühel is a meticulously manicured 9-hole par-70 (when looped twice), 6135-yard parkland-style golf club course that dates back to 1955, making it the oldest golfing establishment in Kitzbühel.

Everything about the track is first class. Each blade of grass looks like it was cut by hand. Bunkers have the fluffiest, whitest sand in the alps, and the clubhouse has a huge, covered outdoor terrace with magnificent views of the 8th and 9th holes across a large pond decorated with fine art sculptures, directly in front of the stately A-ROSA Kitzbühel Hotel and Spa.

Perhaps the most spectacular hole on this fabulous track is No. 8, a 504-yard par-5 that ends with a shot onto a large two-tiered island green that was in pristine, PGA-quality condition when I played it. No. 8 is followed up by the fantastic, and challenging par-3 ninth hole where water also comes into play again. If you’re a shy golfer, you’re in for a true gut check, as both the eighth green and entire ninth hole sit across the course’s clubhouse restaurant Das Kaps, which often has a terrace full of diners watching golfers finish off their rounds!

“It’s such a well groomed course. The greenkeepers here are very talented, that’s quite obvious,” my great friend and local gentleman farmer Thomas Stones tells me over a drink and lunch on the terrace at Das Kaps after our round together.

“But what I love most about Kaps is that all the holes are very different with their own characteristics, and you really never play the same kind of hole twice,” he adds.

KITZBÜHEL GOLF FESTIVAL – GOLF THE STREIF

While I got to golf on part of the Streif at Red Bull Golf am Rasmushof, there is a yearly golf tournament (this year it’s from June 22nd – 29th) called the Kitzbühel Golf Festival, with a signature event called “Golf the Streif” (formerly called “Streif Attack”) that lets you golf down the legendary Hahnenkamm track (800 meters from top to bottom). Organizers say this very unique 12-hole tournament mixes “the adrenaline of the Streif with the precision of golf” in a team format. And just a heads up, if you do sign-up to play, be aware some of your opponents have an advantage, as the tournament invites World Cup racers who’ve raced at the Hahnenkamm, and some of them have even been on the winner’s podium!

DINING IN KITZBÜHEL

DAS KAPS

Whether you’re a golfer or not, a visit to Das Kaps, the clubhouse restaurant at Golfclub Kitzbühel is a must if you’re in town. My golfing partner the day I played there, Thomas Stones, who is a professional chef when he’s not busy being a local gentleman farmer, gave me notice pre-round that we would be having lunch at this fabulous restaurant.

“Das Kaps is a really well known local steak restaurant that serves up exquisite beef from local farms, as well as some very high end Wagyu cuts. This is definitely a great place for lunch after golf, or an evening meal. A lot of locals who are non-golfers come here, it’s very popular for a meal, a snack, or even just a drink on the terrace in the shadow of the Streif and the Kitzbüheler Horn,” Stones says.

I chose a classic Austrian golfer’s lunch selection – Currywurst mit Pommes (curry veal sausage with large cut french fried potatoes) off the grill, the perfect post-golf meal with an ice cold beer!

GOLF RESTAURANT SCHWARZSEE

The clubhouse restaurant at the Golfplatz Kitzbühel-Schwarzsee-Reith is a wonderful place for traditional Austrian cuisine if that’s what you’re looking for after a round, or just a few cold drinks if you’re not in the mood to eat. This restaurant also has a gigantic outdoor terrace with incredible views of the course and the surrounding Kitzbüheler Alps, most especially the iconic Wilder Kaiser range and its jagged, pointy peaks.

Golf Restaurant Schwarzsee’s menu has something for everyone, with a large selection of vegan and vegetarian options if that’s what you’re looking for. It also has a vast assortment of classic Austrian dishes, which is why I demolished a huge helping of Wiener Schnitzel, which was the perfect way to finish after a fantastic round of golf in the Tyrolean Alps!

RESTAURANT DAS REISCH

A storied, family-run Kitzbühel fine dining restaurant since 1912, Restaurant Das Reisch is a great place for a meal if you’re looking for Austrian traditional mountain fare with a gourmet twist.

I love venison, and Das Reisch is known locally as a great restaurant that serves deliciously prepared wild game. With this in mind, I ordered a scrumptious fried venison steak served with sweet potato puree and apple cabbage. For dessert, another Austrian classic, fried apples with cinnamon, powdered sugar, and vanilla ice cream – absolutely fabulous!

ZIELHAUS RESTAURANT & PATIO AT RED BULL GOLF AM RASMUSHOF

Imagine a round of golf on the most legendary downhill ski course in the world, followed up by a BBQ on a patio in the sun, sounds like heaven huh? Well, it’s an easily achievable reality if you’re visiting Kitz in the summer and you play a round at Red Bull Golf am Rasmushof.

My buddy Tony Dunne instructed me to order a double patty smash burger made with fresh beef served with “pommes”  (french fries) and onion rings, and it was beyond delicious!

ACCOMODATIONS IN KITZBÜHEL

HOTEL SCHWEIZERHOF KITZBÜHEL

Over the years I’ve stayed in every kind of accommodation imaginable in Kitzbühel, from extreme high-end luxury, to cozy budget-minded rooms, to traditional family-run chalet-style hotels, and even private homes belonging to local friends – but one place I’ve always been dying to try out is the 4-star Hotel Schweizerhof, directly across the Hahnenkammbahn gondola, which is ski-in/ski-out in winter, and golf-in/golf-out in summer as it’s very close to the Red Bull Golf am Rasmushof course.

This wonderful and very chic hotel is a two-minute walk from the center of Kitzbühel’s old town center, where you can shop, dine, and sightsee all year long as Kitz is a four-season resort. If you’re not in the mood to go out for dinner however, Hotel Schweizerhof has an excellent restaurant and bar with panoramic views of Kitzbühel and its surrounding mountains, as well as a magnificent rooftop outdoor terrace for dining and drinking.

Rooms at Schweizerhof are elegantly decorated in the alpine style and kitted out with super posh bathrooms that resemble private spas. Speaking of spas, Schweizerhof has a gorgeous in-house spa and wellness facility with a roomy indoor pool, a Finnish sauna, an aroma steam bath, a large fitness room, and a very cozy rest and relaxation area.

Breakfast at Hotel Schweizerhof is a smorgasbord of everything you can imagine, from fresh fruits to homemade baked pastries, charcuteries, cheeses, made-to-order egg dishes, sausages, bacon, and cereals. But the standout for me is the ginormous slab of pure, natural honeycomb honey laid out, just waiting for morning guests with sweet tooths to dig in. Hotel Schweizerhof’s honey slabs haunt me in my dreams, they are truly a sight to be seen, and tasted if you’re a honey lover!   

MORE INFO ON KITZBÜHEL:

Kitzbühel is part of the prestigious Best of the Alps group of luxury European ski & golf resorts. To find out more about Kitzbühel go to: www.bestofthealps.com or www.kitzbuehel.com/

For more information about playing at Red Bull Golf am Rasmushof go to: https://zielhaus.at/der-platz-2/

For more information about playing at Eichenheim Golfclub go to: https://www.eichenheim.com/

For more information about playing at Golf Club Kitzbühel (aka Kaps) go to:

https://www.golfclub-kitzbuehel.at/de/golfen-in-kitzbuehel.html

For more information about playing at Kitzbühel-Schwarzsee Golf Club go to:

https://www.golf-schwarzsee.com/golfplatz/golfplatz/

Golf & Landclub Rasmushof, Eichenheim Golfclub, Golf Club Kitzbühel (aka Kaps), and Kitzbühel- Schwarzsee Golf Club are all courses that are included when you purchase the Golf Card Tirol. For more information about the Golf Tirol Card go to: https://www.tyrol.com/things-to-do/sports/the-golf-tirol-card

Kitzbühel has a wide assortment of hotels for every budget. For my visit I selected the Kitzbühel Schweizerhof Hotel, a very centrally located and luxurious four-star hotel a 2-minute walk from the center of Kitzbühel’s medieval old town. For more information on this beautiful hotel go to: https://www.hotel-schweizerhof.at/

Getting to Kitzbühel is easily accessible via train, bus, and car and is only a 90 minute drive from Munich Airport or 1 hour drive from Innsbruck Airport. For more information on how to get to Kitzbühel go to: https://www.kitzbuehel.com/urlaubsservice/anreise/