In the alpine world, the practice of strapping climbing skins to the undersides of your skis, hiking your way up a snow covered mountainside and then schussing back downhill is called “earning your turns.”  This September, while I golfed my way through the Austrian Alps, I discovered the golfing equivalent of “earning your turns”, which I affectionately call “earning your swings.”

Austrian golfing friends had long told me about Golf-Club Arlberg, St. Anton am Arlberg’s spectacular 9-hole course built on the bottom section of the Nasserein ski piste – and how it was like a hybrid of golf and hiking, as many of the holes go uphill, and some are quite steep slogs. I knew this would be a great way to lure an old friend and colleague who was in town for St. Anton’s famed Mountain Yoga Festival away from his yoga mat for a few hours, as he’s also an avid hiker and golfer.

So when I asked Mike Schibel, founder and host of the “Travel with Meaning” podcast if he’d like to hike and golf at the same time he confessed he was intrigued, and agreed to give it a go.

Golf-Club Arlberg, it should be noted, was the sixth stop on my “Best of the Alps” golf tour through Italy, France, and Switzerland. All the golf courses I played were located at resorts who are members of the Best of the Alps group, a conglomeration of 10 of Europe’s most prestigious ski and golf mountain destinations. Each one had its own distinct vibe, and I quickly discovered that not all mountain golf courses are the same, and I mean that in a good way! Here then, is a recap of what our day of hiking and ball striking at the Golf-Club Arlberg was like – as well as a few tips on dining, accommodations, and other fun stuff to do when you’re in St. Anton.

GOLFING IN ST. ANTON

Established in 1985 by a group of very enthusiastic local golfers, Golf-Club Arlberg is a very demanding, up and down, 9-hole track with seven par 3s and two very fun par 4s, set amongst some of the most breathtaking peaks in the Arlberg region of the Austrian Alps, the cradle of modern-day alpine skiing.

“Our course is not extremely long, but it is very challenging because it’s located directly on the side of a mountain where in the winter we’re skiing and in the summer we’re playing golf,” Golf-Club Arlberg Head Pro Jeffrey Swanson told us just before we started our round on a misty morning, with clouds and fog rolling up and down the club’s wet, green mountain slope fairways.

“Our defenses are our smaller greens, and you’re actually walking up and down the Nasserein ski run, which is definitely a good hike. Our course record is +2 over par, so we’d be happy for anyone to come out and make a better score than that one,” Swanson added with a grin.

As we took on the first two holes, No. 1 a fairly straightforward 115-yard side-hill par 3, and No. 2 an equally gentle 135-yard slightly uphill par 3, Schibel (as everyone who knows him calls him) and I giggled on how effortless walking this course, even in a light rain, actually was. Our chuckles, however, came to a screeching halt when we reached the third tee,  which sits next to two quaint wood barns, with million dollar views of St. Anton’s gorgeous onion-domed parish church, and cast our collective gaze on the 350-yard steep uphill climb we’d be making on our way to the green.

“OK, that was a real hike. We’re definitely earning our swings today,” Schibel confessed, slinging his golf bag off his back with a laugh as we completed our ascent to the third green.

Our golfing and hiking stamina was further tested as we descended down the fourth fairway, went uphill again on the fifth, and back downhill again to the sixth green through a light misting rain, and patches of smoky white clouds that crisscrossed the mountain like ghosts.

“This is unlike any round of golf I’ve ever played, or any hike I’ve ever taken, I love it! I’ve been listening to Led Zepplin’s Misty Mountain Hop in my head all morning,” Schibel told me with a smile as we parked our carcasses on the seventh tee box next to a large T-bar ski lift wheel tower.

One of the most challenging and fun holes at Golf-Club Arlberg turned out to be number eight, a 260-yard dogleg left par 4 that requires a perfect 200-yard drive onto a narrow stretch of fairway at the turn, followed up by a wedge onto an elevated green in front of a beautiful, rustic, alpine chalet.

Schibel quickly turned the hole into a golf clinic, after smashing a drive that pinged off the roof of a small hay shed that dropped it in perfect position. I followed up with a nice drive myself, but Schibel reigned supreme on this hole with a birdie after a magnificent uphill chip, while I carded a bogey. As we giddily walked down the hill toward the ninth hole, our last one as the rain started to pick up, we reveled in the fact that we just accomplished two things at once, hiked and golfed at the same time at one of the most picturesque ski resorts in the world.

“Now that we’ve golfed and hiked here together, we have to come back and ski this run in winter,” Schibel said as we popped into the clubhouse for post-round cappuccinos.

“Agreed,” I replied. “As long as we don’t have to use climbing skins to go up the mountain, I’m all in on ‘earning my swings’ during summer, but when the snow flies, I prefer ski lifts!”

DINING IN ST. ANTON

SENNHÜTTE

No matter what the weather is like outdoors when you’re in St. Anton, one thing is for certain, it’s always sunny inside Sennhütte, and this is based on personal experience, as I never miss a visit to this vibrant, charming, on-mountain restaurant when I’m in the Arlberg.

Run by three generations of the Senn family for almost forty years, this fantastic restaurant is always on my dining itinerary when I’m skiing in St. Anton. You’d think the attraction was Sennhütte’s vast menu, that’s loaded with Austrian classics like schnitzel, Kaiserschmarrn, and a massive selection of award winning in-house schnapps selections – but it’s actually the genuine Tyrollean hospitality of the owners, and the incredible party vibe you feel when you walk through the doors that have always been the main draw for me.

Another plus is the fact that you’ll always find a spot at a table in Sennhütte when it’s open – sometimes even with strangers who quickly become friends. Music is also a very important part of the experience, and whether it’s a traditional Tyrollean three-piece, or a band of rockers playing classic covers, it always somehow turns into a raucous sing-along, if not an impromptu dance-along.

On this most recent visit, a private dinner party with a group of fellow journalists, the set menu included a super scrumptious beef broth soup with traditional Austrian  “knödel” dumplings, an exquisite boiled beef main served with multi-layered potatoes, and an absolutely perfect buttermilk Kaiserschmarrn with wildberries for dessert. But to be completely honest, this fabulously prepared and executed meal was overshadowed by the wild conga-line-yodeling-schnapps-infused party that broke out as soon as the traditional three-piece band started to work their way down a setlist of local Arlberg-specific hits. I can only think of three words to describe the experience: What. A. Night!

MUSEUM ST. ANTON AM ARLBERG

You could easily make the five-minute walk from the center of St. Anton to the majestic Villa Trier, which is home to the Museum St. Anton am Arlberg, to simply peruse its incredible collection of local history and alpine ski racing memorabilia (read about that below)…or you can go there, and couple it with a meal at its exceptional restaurant.

The villa itself, an opulent, wood-paneled, 100-year-old mansion, houses one of St. Anton’s best restaurants, which I was fortunate enough to dine at after one of my golfing days in town. The set menu I chose from included tempered fresh goat cheese on pumpkin chutney, with balsamic onion confit and cress as a super yummy starter. This was followed by a super moist, roasted corn chicken breast on creamy risotto, with sautéed chanterelles and thyme jus that was beyond delicious, and to top it off,  a heavenly praline parfait in a layered cake coating with sour cherries for dessert which was a sweet tooth’s dream!

KONSTANZER HÜTTE

Originally built in 1885, destroyed by landslides in 1988, and rebuilt in 1990, this delightful mountain hut, perched high up in the Verwall Alps at 5500 feet above sea level, is a great place for lunch if you’re hiking in St. Anton, or E-biking as I was when I dined there.

Located on the border of Austria’s Tirol and Vorarlberg provinces, Konstanzer Hütte is open from June to September and is a bucket list destination for hikers and mountain bikers. The hut has a snack station if you’re just looking for a quick bite, but also has a really great restaurant and patio for sitdown meals and drinks. I had a delicious, cheese risotto for a starter, and a succulent venison filet, served with mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, and candied beets for a very hearty, and well-earned lunch there after an E-bike trek.

ACCOMMODATION IN ST. ANTON

Having overnighted at more than a few establishments in St. Anton over the years, I was excited to spend a few days at the town’s oldest hotel, the palatial Hotel Post, one of Austrian architect Clemens Holzmeister’s most handsome grand Tyrolean Chalet-inspired creations.

Built at the turn of the 20th century, this elegant, fin de siècle, four-star hotel has been fully updated with all the bells and whistles one would expect from a modern, luxury hotel, without losing its Belle Époque charm. Sitting directly below St. Anton’s majestic Galzig peak, this fabulous hotel is located right in the heart of town, an easy walk to ski lifts, and the Golf-Club Arlberg which is only a 5-minute walk away.

My very large room, with a private balcony overlooking the main street, sat directly under the hotel’s iconic spire roof and was a wonderful place to sit out for a post-nightcap nightcap when I managed to drag myself away from Hotel Post’s super spacious bar and and lounge area every night during my stay.

Hotel Post also has a gorgeous wellness center, and it was a great place to relax before dinnertime. Hotel guests have access to a well-sized outdoor pool with stunning mountain views, a large, and very stylish tiled indoor pool with a waterfall and whirlpool, a huge sauna zone with Finnish saunas and an organic sauna, an ice grotto, a flower and brine steam bath with an infrared cabin solarium, and a very peaceful meditation room. The perfect place to spend a few hours after skiing, or as was my case hitting golf balls up and down the side of a mountain.

Large, spectacular breakfast spreads are something I always look forward to when I’m in Austria, and Hotel Post has one of the best…both in terms of quantity and quality. Almost every type of hot or cold morning dish imaginable is ready to order if it’s not already in the dining room’s gargantuan buffet. I’m pretty sure Schibel and I co-discovered new, and highly delectable variants on the croissant here too, which we hunted down like ravenous food vampires every morning as we met for breakfast.

OTHER FUN STUFF TO DO IN ST. ANTON

MOUNTAIN YOGA FESTIVAL

My visit to St. Anton coincided with the 10th annual Mountain Yoga Festival which should be on every yoga lover’s bucket list, especially folks who love the mountains. Every September yoga enthusiasts and instructors from all over the world make the journey to St. Anton to practice this ancient discipline in a high alpine setting. Participants choose from an assortment of outdoor and indoor yoga and meditation classes, alpine hikes, and workshops over a four day period…and according to my St. Anton golfing buddy Mike Schibel – sunrise hikes, and outdoor Yoga classes in the Austrian Alps with like-minded yogis are something his body, mind, and soul will never forget!

E-BIKING

Skiing in the Arlberg is pure heaven. Hiking in the Arlberg is amazing. But E-biking in the Arlberg  is absolute magic, especially for those of you who love to experience breathtaking, jaw dropping mountain scenery on two wheels.

St. Anton’s 135 miles of very well marked and signposted bike trails start right in town and go high up into the surrounding mountains. Renting E-bikes in St. Anton is very easy, and you can even book a guided E-bike tour. I hit the trail with a big group, and we cycled our way up a fairly moderate trail past lush mountain meadows, and thick green forests into the Verwall valley toward the Wagner Hütte, a charming, rustic, alpine restaurant where we snacked on coffee and croissants. The next part of the ride was a bit more demanding, with a few moderate inclines, and a few winding, steeper bends. Sometimes we biked on gravel, which can feel slippery if you’re not overly experienced when it comes to E-biking in the mountains, but it was still relatively easy for most folks. The payoff at the end of the trail were the incredible views of the Patteriol peak from the Verwall valley as we rode down into it, and the incredible lunch we had at the Konstanzer Hütte, which was the last destination on our ride.

MUSEUM ST. ANTON AM ARLBERG

Whether you’re an alpine skiing history buff, or a ski racing nerd, you absolutely must visit the Museum St. Anton am Arlberg when you’re in town. Once inside you’ll discover the story of St. Anton going back to the middle ages, but you’ll also be able to get up close and personal with a treasure trove of priceless ski memorabilia. From World Cup crystal globe trophies and medals, to equipment used by Hannes Schneider, the iconic godfather of modern skiing who pioneered the “Arlberg Technique”, to the actual skis Austrian ski racing legend Mario Matt used to win slalom gold at the 2001 FIS World Alpine Ski Championships held in St. Anton…oh, and the restaurant in the museum is amazing, but I already told you that!

MORE INFO ON ST. ANTON: 

St. Anton is part of the prestigious Best of the Alps group of luxury European ski & golf resorts. To find out more about St. Anton am Arlberg go to: www.bestofthealps.com or

https://www.stantonamarlberg.com/en/home

For more information about playing at Golf-Club Arlberg go to: https://www.stantonamarlberg.com/en/home

Golf-Club Arlberg is one of the courses that is 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

St. Anton has a wide assortment of hotels for every budget. For my visit I selected the Hotel Post St. Anton am Arlberg, a very centrally located four-star hotel a 5-minute walk from the Golf-Club Arlberg. For more information on this beautiful hotel go to: https://www.hotel-post.co.at/en/

For more information about the Mountain Yoga Festival go to:

https://www.mountainyogafestivalstanton.at/en/

For more information about the Museum St. Anton am Arlberg go to:

https://www.museum-stanton.com/en/

For more information on E-biking in St. Anton am Arlberg go to:

https://www.stantonamarlberg.com/en/summer/e-biking-and-mountain-biking

Getting to St. Anton: St. Anton am Arlberg is easily accessible via train, bus, and car and is only a 2.5 hour drive from Zurich Airport or 1.30 hour drive from Innsbruck Airport. For more information on how to get to St. Anton am Arlberg go to: https://www.stantonamarlberg.com/en/the-region-st-anton-am-arlberg/travel

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