THE PLACE TO ENJOY
A PASSION FOR GOLF
“When our guests are happy, our employees are happy too,” Johannes Baltl-Einhauer is convinced. He has been Head Golf Manager at the IMLAUER Hotel Schloss Pichlarn since 2014.
His fantastic handicap of -1.5 is testament to his many years of experience in golf. Together with his great passion for golf, he inspires golf beginners as well as long-time regulars at the
Golf & Countryclub Schloss Pichlarn
.
We spoke to Johannes Baltl-Einhauer about his career, tournaments and his dream flight.
The new golf season starts. Have you already played your first game?
I haven’t played my first game yet, but we opened the practice facility last Friday and I’ve been practicing hard so that I can play my first game on April 22nd on our beautiful golf course in the best possible way.
How have you been?
Very good. I’ve been playing golf for almost 35 years, so there’s already a certain routine. I also do a bit of dry training in winter and watch golf tournaments on TV. This makes it easier to get back into the sport in spring. I am confident that it will be another good season this year.
The exciting thing about golf is that you are always in a constant state of change. Standing still in golf means going backwards. You always look to improve your game or change something.
How did you get into golf?
I was almost born with it. When I was born, my father was already president of the Schloss Pichlarn Golf & Country Club. My mother took me to the golf course and Alan Mitchell was already a golf coach at Schloss Pichlarn at the time. That’s how I came into contact with golf at the age of 5/6.
My brother also learned to play golf here. We were both national team players. Even the next generation – my nephew – is already deeply rooted in golf. We are a family of golfers through and through.
What fascinates you about golf?
Golf is a sport that teaches you a lot of humility. The golf course is almost always the same and the par 70 does not change. Whether you play 67 strokes in a day or 77, you can measure exactly how good or how bad you are. That is very exciting.
I am also fascinated by the different places. Every golf course is different, with different landscapes and climatic conditions. Whether you are a sporty golfer or a pleasure golfer, golf offers all facets. Thanks to the handicap, young and old can play together, as can good players and beginners.
You have been managing the Golf & Country Club Schloss Pichlarn for 9 years. What is special about this golf course for you?
The special thing about our golf course is the peace and quiet that we enjoy, the landscape in which the golf course is embedded. From so many holes you have a view of the Grimming or the Gesäuse. It feels like you’re only three steps out of the hotel and you’re standing on the 1st tee. This combination is simply unique for me.
Also the tradition we have here. Our golf course and the hotel have been around for 51 years now, so you can be proud to work here.
However, the golf course is also challenging due to the slopes. You need a lot of different golf shots here and you should master all facets of the game of golf in order to achieve a good result.
Last year we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Schloss Pichlarn hotel and golf course. What does that mean for you?
On the one hand, it means that we have seen a lot. For example, when Bernhard Langer, the first German to win the US Masters and number 1 in the world golf rankings, opened the 18-hole golf course in Pichlarn in 1986. That was certainly one of the milestones.
On the other hand, since the Imlauer family took over the hotel and golf course, everything is experiencing a renaissance again and an upswing in every respect can be felt. For me, it makes a big difference that the golf course is carefully brought up to a level that makes it one of the leading golf courses in Austria. Pichlarn can be proud of its tradition, but is not stuck in the past, but is always thinking about tomorrow.
This year, the Sky Golf Cup is taking place on our golf course for the second time. What can we expect?
We are one of three venues in Austria, alongside Zell am See and Pörtschach. Of course, we hope for good weather again, lots of cheerful guests, lots of great pictures and that it will be an all-round successful event, just like last year, which will bring our guests lots of fun.
It is also a wonderful opportunity for us to present the hotel and the golf course on Sky TV and to welcome great guests to our hotel.
What were your personal highlights in golf?
There are many. I had the honor of representing our country at the European Youth Championships in Sweden at the age of 18. That was a special experience for me.
But I also like being a team athlete. We have a team here at the golf club and there have been many victories that I have been able to be a part of or win for the benefit of our team. Those were casual moments.
If you had one wish, who would you like to play golf with?
If you were to put together a flight of four, it would probably be exciting to play with Tiger Woods. Maybe Barack Obama, because he is a very enthusiastic golfer. Rory McIlroy, who is currently No. 3 in the world rankings, would be very exciting in third place. As a European, I would then play with Rory against Tiger and Barack for a drink. I would love to play a round with them. Preferably in Pichlarn, of course.
