While Euro 2016 and the Olympics may be grabbing all the sporting headlines this summer, some lesser known sporting attractions are bringing international competitors to continental Croatia. A look at Disc Golf in Croatia.
Croatian tourism is diverse, and the reasons for visiting this amazing country vary considerably. While the main stereotype may be the sun, sea and beach of the spectacular Adriatic coast and 1000 plus islands, tourism inland is evolving in many different directions, and with considerable success.
One of the lesser known sporting attractions in Croatia, for example, is the lesser known sport of disc golf, which is beginning to take a firm hold in the Varazdin and Medjimurje area, as local enthusiasts bring opportunities to play this international sport in Croatia.
Similar to golf with an 18-hole course, the tools of choice are frisbees, and the oldest known instance of a version of the game dates back to a Canadian enthusiast in 1926, but it was not until the 1970s that disc golf started to become popular when it was introduced at the Canadian Frisbeen Open Championships. Now played in over forty countries, its competitions attract a dedicated group of competitors, and the game is best known and most popular in North America, Scandinavia, Holland and the UK.
And now there is the opportunity for these players to enjoy their favourite sport. The first course appeared in Medjimurje on private land in 2009, and today there are three permanent couses, including in Varazdinske Toplice, which are looked after by Varazdin company Lagoda.
In November 2013, in the city of Varazdin, the first ever PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association) event was held in Croatia. The tournament, named "Drava Forester", was organized by the Lagoda Disc Golf Company and the Varazdin Disc Golf Club. The event was supported by Croatian Ministry of Tourism and therefore the organizers were able to offer special prices and low tournament fees for players from all over the Europe. The event was heavily attended, as 50 players from 12 different countries were present. The tournament took place at the banks of the Drava River and the nearby forest and offered a course with a wide variety of fun and challenging holes. Three rounds of 18 holes were played during the event.
Lagoda has since organised twelve such tournaments in Croatia, as the popularity of the sport continues to grow slowly, and Disc Golf Croatia starts to register on the international disc golf radar. A chance to indulge in a favourite sport and enjoy the fabulous nature and hospitality of one of Croatia's most welcoming regions. This year's Drava Forester will take place once more this autumen, from November 4-6, when international participants from Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, England and neighbouring countries will once more return to the banks of the river Drava to compete in this excellent Croatian disc golf event.
I spoke to Lagoda's Maja Simenc, who told me that Lagoda is moving beyond just organising tournaments, and they have just concluded the first Stray Disc Tour, taking in some of the magic of Croatian tourism to compliment the competitive side of disc golf.
"We have also organized a first disc golf tour, called Stray disc tour, from 9-17th of July. It consisted of 3 tournaments, first one was played in Varazdin, second one in Varazdinske Toplice and third one in Toplice Sveti Martin. Players were accomodated in Spa&Golf resort Sveti Martin. We also organized trip to Plitvice lakes, wine tasting, dinner with local food,... This was really something completely different in disc golf cause it was truly family friendly event so many of them brought wife and kids and enjoyed swimming pools, water park etc. We had players from Finland, Sweden, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia and, of course, Croatia. You can read more here."
Never heard of disc golf or curious to see it in action? Highlights of the 2015 Drava Forester below, and for more information on disc golf in Croatia, visit the Lagoda website.
