POLAND

Unbeknown to many golfers, quality courses have opened and developed throughout Poland within the past two decades and one such area is around the historic city of Gdansk perched on the northern coastline overlooking the Baltic.

It’s already a popular destination for hen and stag parties - mainly because the drinks aren’t too expensive and the city has an excellent selection of bars and nightclubs. The golf on offer has been something of a secret, until now...

While quantity of courses is an issue, quality is not and two of the best venues –Sun Valley Resort and Sierra – are both geared up for visiting golfers.

Sun Valley provides an undulating, linksy par 72 experience. With huge bunkers to negotiate and some small, tricky greens, it’s a challenging test with the 9th being the only hole featuring trees.

By contrast, Sierra is a parkland course on the opposite side of Gdansk and, owing to a plethora of dogleg holes, demands excellent course management. Best holes are probably on the inward stretch with the water features on the 15th and the par three 16th holes inevitably the source of much discussion afterwards.

The undulating course at Mazury definitely has its moments, too, particularly the short holes at the 2nd, 4th and the bunker-laden 16th.

Postolowo is the longest course in the country, a mammoth 7,800 yards off the back tees, with water guarding many holes including the gorgeous par-3 16th over a lake.