Golf in Bulgaria is still in its infancy in terms of the sheer volume of facilities, but it is not short in any way when it comes to quality.
The foundation of the golf sport in Bulgaria was laid with the construction of golf courses in Ihtiman, Ravno pole and Sliven. But of more interest to the travelling golfer will be the cluster of world-class facilities now being established around the town of Balchik on the Black Sea coast, 30-40 kilometres north of Varna.
The city of Varna is well worth a visit if you have the time with its ancient, medieval, renaissance and modern cultures mingling and coexisting to make a most beguiling and intriguing destination.
Gary Player is behind the courses at the BlackSeaRama Resort and Thracian Cliffs, while Ian Woosnam has signed off a brilliant design at the burgeoning Lighthouse Resort nearby.
Woosnam also designed the course at Pirin Golf & Country Club which is located on the other side of Bulgaria, away from the coast, in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains.
These resorts are not only notable for the quality of their courses but also for the quality of the accommodation, with luxury high-end villas being the order of the day.