Golf has been played in our region since 1904. Today’s golf course evolved on the initiative of a few farsighted tourism entrepreneurs from Interlaken, who in 1963 also founded the Interlaken-Unterseen Golf Club. The golf course was planned by German golf course architect Limburger and construction was undertaken by acclaimed golf course architect Donald Harradine. Construction began in late autumn 1963 and the first nine holes were opened for play at Whitsun 1965. The remaining nine holes were successfully completed by summer 1966. And so, since then, Unterseen has had its 18-hole course, which was constructed for the sum of around 800,000 Swiss francs.
Further investment into facilities was made constantly over the following years. In 1983, a small timber lodge was bought to serve as an office. The new changing room building, which also housed a Pro Shop was opened in 1976. In 1984 the extended golf trolley hall was taken over after the space for trolley parking became too small. In 1985, as the clubhouse/restaurant threatened to burst at the seams, a new restaurant area with additional seating for 70 people was built. During 1987 and 1988, a wet weather shelter was built on the driving range and the dilapidated maintenance depot had to make way for a new building.
As the ‘old’ clubhouse soon no longer was able to fulfil the requirements of golfers and the continually increasing member numbers, during the 1993/94 winter season it had to make way for a new replacement building. In addition, the driving range which meanwhile had become too small, had to be renewed and on 18 June 2000, golfers were able to play the first golf balls on the new training facility.
After some 40 years of use, the golf course itself no longer met current standards and between autumn 2003 and summer 2005 this was given a total upgrade. All greens and tees were reconstructed to plans drawn up by Scottish golf course architect John Chilver-Stainer. Water courses, lakes and weirs were created within the golf course area. This took place in conjunction with a renaturation of existing water courses as far as Lake Thun. A harmonious relationship between nature and golf has always been of major importance to Interlaken-Unterseen Golf Club and this will continue with the new golf course.
