Team of CMAE members gets Zavidovo PGA National Russia Gets Off to a Flying Start in First Full Season

Zavidovo PGA National Russia has got off to a flying start in their first full season, in what are exciting times for the game of golf in Russia. The magnificent European Golf Design course opened for local market play at the end of last season and since then “The Manor”, the luxurious 10 bedroom clubhouse has been completed and is now accepting in house guests.

Zavidovo PGA National Russia has got off to a flying start in their first full season, in what are exciting times for the game of golf in Russia. The magnificent European Golf Design course opened for local market play at the end of last season and since then “The Manor”, the luxurious 10 bedroom clubhouse has been completed and is now accepting in house guests.


Phil Jones, Director of Golf and 
Nick Solski, Head Professional

Three members of the management team at Zavidovo are CMAE members:   Director of Golf Phil Jones, Head Professional Nick Solski and the Braemar Golf Developments representative, Mike Braidwood.  The club is managed by Braemar Golf Developments of St Andrews Scotland. They have in place an extremely experienced management team to lead the facility and deliver the targets this summer. Phil Jones has worked in the UK and Bahrain and moved to Zavidovo to open the club last summer. 

Nick Solski has previously spent two seasons in both Ukraine and Lithuania and so is well equipped for the challenge. Both of them have joined Paul Avison, the club’s Golf Course Superintendent, who is now in his fourth season at Zavidovo. Paul was originally brought in as the grow in superintendent and has remained with the facility to see the ongoing development of the course during its first full season and this continuity is showing in the great condition of the golf course.  

“We have had an extremely busy start to the season, which has been very rewarding for us” said Director of Golf, Phil Jones. “You don’t get much time to prepare here, one day it is winter and then all of a sudden the snow melts and the season starts. It is hard to believe that we had over a metre of snow lying on the course on the 18th April and we then stage our season opener on the 8th May! Quite unbelievable” he added.

On the 23rd June the club staged its “International” opening which saw guests and media come to Russia from overseas. The event was a tremendous success and praise was heaped on the facility by all that attended. 

Since its opening in September 2012, Zavidovo PGA National Russia has fast gained a reputation within the Russia golfing fraternity for the quality and condition of the golf course. 

Mike Braidwood who is over all responsible for Braemar Golf’s management contract with Zavidovo PGA National Russia is also based full time in Russia overseeing this project and providing pre opening and advisory services to Skolkovo Golf Club in Moscow. 

Braemar currently have projects in Oman, Russia, Bulgaria, Morocco, Montenegro, Portugal and the UK.

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