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Golf Club ” Bavarian Hills”

 

Due to the construction of the B 17 right across the old Golf Course’s Schweinewiese, as this area was then called, the alternate construction of a 9-hole golf course including a club house on a 29 ha (1 ha = 10,000 m2 resp. 2.47 acres, 29 x 2,47 = 71.6 acres) area of the Deuringen Training Area by and at the expense of the Federal Government’s Finanzbauamt was requested by the U.S. (Construction period: 1983-1985).

The introduction of golf by the Americans - at the beginning a strange Spiel for the local nationals - inspired in due time a number of Leitershofen’s citizens to found a Golf Club on American-German soil. In 1980, the German Revenue Office became active because of a number of taxable benefits for the Leitershofen golfers and charged hefty taxes. In 1982, therefore, the foundation of a registered society (eingetragener Verein, e.V.) - exempt from taxation - was approved by higher headquarters and so excluded any further involvement of the German Revenue Office.

With the new Golf Course at the northern perimeter of the Training Area, the German-American sports friendship became known as the double-named “Golf Club Leitershofen - Bavarian Hills”. Curiously, a number of friendly, peaceful tournaments took place at a military training area. In the summer of 1986, the grand opening by BG Howard C. Eggleston and Stadtbergen’s mayor Raimund Bertele - in whose community the panoramic Golf Course is located - took place. Festive connections with the Kiwanis Club and the German-American Men’s resp. Women’s Club happened once in a while.

Golfing was only one of a number of American sports cultivated in Augsburg. Because of the base closure, the Golf Course as part of the Deuringen Training Area was officially returned to the Federal Government. The remaining “Golf Club Leitershofen” at first could not afford to buy the area and rented it. By now, course and clubhouse are belonging to the club. One would not wonder when even today one or another remaining or visiting American is there, swinging his clubs.

 

 

                                                         The old sign at the access road.

 

                                                       A terrific panorama of Augsburg.

 

                                  View from the lower course area towards Deuringen heights.

 

                                        Grand opening of the new Golf Course with Clubhouse.

 

                                 Ribbon cutting ceremony by BG Eggleston and mayor Bertele.

 

                                                     The very first strike by BG Eggleston.

 

                                                 The club champions from 1978 until 1989.

 

                                   Program of the 10th anniversary of the Common Golf Course.

 

                                                                Club sign, 1983 – 1998.

 

Right: MG Barbara Fast, the last commander of the U.S. Military Community Augsburg, visited at Augsburg and of course at the Golf Course Leitershofen. Here with Joe Ittner, who later was to become the most aged member of the Amerika in Augsburg e.V. Society.

(All photos: Archives of Amerika in Augsburg e.V. Society)


Translations: Heinz Strüber, 2012

 

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