Global golf icon and leading course designer Gary Player will officially open Thracian Cliffs Golf & SPA in Cape Kaliakra, Bulgaria on June 4th. The Black Knight will join Bulgarian businessman and developer Krassimir Guergov, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov, celebrities, local politicians and businessmen, and the team from Thracian Cliffs for the Grand Opening celebrations.
Thracian Cliffs is the second Gary Player designed course in Cape Kaliakra (BlackSeaRama opened in July 2009). It is set along the stunning cliffs overlooking the Black Sea and is one of the most spectacular designs in the global Gary Player Design Portfolio. “I’ve been playing golf for 56 years and have never seen a site like this anywhere in the world. I’ve never played on a golf course where you can see the ocean on every single hole. It is truly incredible,” said Gary Player.
The course and resort were carefully designed to preserve the look and feel of the traditional local architecture while taking advantage of the natural beauty and characteristics of the seafront environment and the undeveloped splendor of Kaliakra National Park.
The 18-hole championship course was sculptured by Player to fit perfectly into the dramatic Cliffside landscape. “Thracian Cliffs is in many ways our most unique design to date,” said Marc Player CEO of Black Knight International. “The Black Sea is visible from every hole and the white cliffs make for a visually stunning backdrop,” he added.
The course was designed with multiple tee locations providing an exceptional experience for all levels of golfer. The Black or back tees, allows the course to be set up for championship play lengthening each hole and increasing the level of difficulty. “The Black tees are tough,” said Gary Player. “Krassi wants to bring a European PGA Tour event to Bulgaria so we had to design Thracian Cliffs and BlackSeaRama with that in mind, but also not make the courses too difficult for the higher handicappers. The response from the players who participated in the Mercedes Cup (Bulgaria’s first amateur tournament) last week was very positive and I think we accomplished our goal. I am really looking forward to playing the course now that it is completed,” he added.
The 8th hole has received a lot of attention and is sure to become recognized as one of Europe’s best. The tee sits atop a cliff with the green set some 40 metres below, cut into the hillside and surrounded by the Black Sea. The hole measures over 220 metres from the Black tees and is an imposing and dangerous shot.
While golf is the centerpiece of recreational activities, Thracian Cliffs has made the resort fun for the entire family. Bendida Beach offers 2 km of private white sand beaches, two private beach coves with four-poster daybeds and loungers, jet skiing, parasailing, wind surfing, sailing, fishing and scuba diving. Luxurious spa services are also available along with four swimming pools, tennis courts, a kids club and playground and boutique shopping. Visitors can also hike or horseback ride through nearby Kaliakra National Park and visit cultural and historic areas like Cape Kaliakra fortress and the Museum of the Thracian culture in Varna, as well as the legendary Royal residence of the Romanian Queen Maria Victoria de Edinburgh in Balchik.
Thracian Cliffs’ name originates from the ancient Thracian tribes who inhabited the region during the 4th Century BC. The first historical record about the Thracians is found in the Iliad, where they are described as allies of the Trojans in the Trojan War against the Greeks. Among the most famous Thracians were the singer and musician Orpheus and the mythical gladiator Spartacus.
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