Golfing in Russia

The first 18-hole golf course in Russia was built in 1994 in the Moscow suburb of Nakhabino. For a number of years the golf course was the only one in the country, with keen Russian golfers traveling to resorts in Spain, Portugal, Poland, Finland and China to play the game on world-class courses. In the past decade or so, golf has become more popular as a leisure activity, resulting in the number of golf courses increasing to eighteen, located in eight of Russia's eighty-three regions. Moreover, the Russian Ministry of Sports, Tourism and Youth Policy, along with the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, have started to actively promote golf as a sport at school level to children and youths.

Designed by golfing legend Jack Nicklaus and counted among the five best golf courses of Europe, the Tseleevo Golf Polo Club, located in Moscow, is described as an ultra-luxury country club. With an 18-hole course, golf academy and a driving range, Tseleevo is a private golf course with limited membership.

Located near the historic town of Starocherkasskaya in Russia's Rostov Oblast, the Don Golf and Country Club offers a 9-hole golf course, with the development of a second 9-holes currently taking place, all with the goal of blending in with the spectacular terrain the region is known for. A five-star hotel with panoramic views of the picturesque lake and surroundings is planned for the Don Golf and Country Club, with other amenities including tennis courts, a yacht club, horse ranch and a village consisting of family cottages and luxurious villas.

The Dunes Golf and Country Club, situated near St Petersburg, has a 9-hole course as well as a 3-hole short course, driving range, putting green and pitching green. This superbly maintained golf course is open to the public every day of the week, but golfers should note that advance booking is essential.

Russia's very first golf course, Moscow Country Club in Nakhabino, is still going strong since it opened in 1994. Designed by American golf course architect, Robert Trent Jones Jr., the Moscow Country Club hosts the Russian Open and the annual President of Russia Golf Cup. It is open to the public, with advance booking advised.

As golf continues to gain favor as a leisure-time activity and a serious competitor sport, more golf courses are either in the planning stages or under construction, and soon there will be golf courses in or near Togliatti; Babolovsky Park in St Petersburg; Tsarskoe Selo; Kazan; Gatchina; Gelendzhik; Kolomna and Luzhniki in Moscow; Kaliningrad, Uglich and Pervouralsk.

Nizhny Novgorod's Historic Chkalov Staircase

Located at the confluence of the Volga and Oka Rivers in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, the city of Nizhny Novgorod is an important cultural center for the region and has a number of interesting attractions to visit. One of the top attractions in the city is the Chkalov Staircase, the construction of which turned out to be quite controversial and resulted in the arrest of the government official who carried out the project. The staircase was originally known as the Volga Staircase, but was later renamed in honor of a Soviet Union test pilot, Valery Chkalov, who in 1937 was the first pilot in history to fly non-stop from Moscow, via the North Pole to Vancouver in the US state of Washington. The enormous staircase climbs a hill overlooking the river, providing a spectacular view of the surroundings, and a monument in Chkalov's honor stands on Minina Square at the top of the staircase.

Visit the Town of Kungur in the Ural Mountains

Located in the Ural Mountains, where the Shakhva and Iren Rivers flow into the Sylva River, the town of Kungur started out as a settlement in the mid-1600s, but was destroyed by Bashkirs in 1662. It was rebuilt as a fortified settlement in 1663, and by the early 18th century Kungur had its own commercial tannery and had earned a reputation for the production of fine leather products, including footwear. By the late 18th century, Kungur had developed into a prominent commercial center, serving the traffic on the Siberian trade route. By the end of the 19th century, the town was known for its industry, including the manufacture of tea, leather, rope and linseed oil, and was the cultural hub for the area. Today Kungur remains a bustling commercial and industrial town, serving as the administrative center of Kungursky District.