New Golf Courses in Bulgaria, 2026
The straight answer is that no new golf course is opening in Bulgaria in 2026. But that is not a reason to overlook it. Bulgaria built a small, seriously good set of courses in one ambitious wave, and for value golf on a dramatic coastline it remains one of Europe's best kept secrets.
Photo via Google.
The honest picture
Bulgaria's golf story is unusual. Rather than growing gradually, the country built almost all of its serious golf in a single burst of ambition between roughly 2008 and 2011, much of it on a spectacular stretch of the northern Black Sea coast near Balchik and Kavarna. Since then the picture has been stable, and there is no confirmed new course opening for 2026. If you came here hoping for a grand opening to plan around, we would rather tell you plainly that there is not one.
What there is, though, is a compact and genuinely high quality cluster that punches far above the country's profile, anchored by two Gary Player Signature courses on the cliffs and complemented by a coastal neighbor and a mountain course inland. For a focused golf trip with short transfers and standout scenery, that concentration is a feature, not a flaw.
Bulgaria's golf courses at a glance
| Course | Designer and era | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Thracian Cliffs | Gary Player Signature, opened 2011 | Black Sea coast near Kavarna, fairways along the cliffs |
| BlackSeaRama | Gary Player Signature, opened around 2009 | Black Sea coast near Balchik, championship course and villas |
| Lighthouse Golf Resort | Built in the late 2000s, cliff top setting | Near Balchik, minutes from the coast |
| Pirin Golf and Country Club | Ian Woosnam design, opened around 2008 | Razlog, near Bansko, in the mountains inland |
Why the existing set is worth the trip
The two names that put Bulgaria on the golfing map are Thracian Cliffs and BlackSeaRama, both Gary Player Signature designs and both built into the dramatic cliffs of the northern Black Sea coast. Thracian Cliffs in particular, with fairways running parallel to sheer drops above the sea, is one of the most photographed courses in Europe and the reason most visitors come. BlackSeaRama, its near neighbor, adds a second championship test and resort accommodation, so the two together form the heart of any trip.
Close by, Lighthouse Golf Resort rounds out the coastal cluster with a clifftop layout a short drive from Balchik, while inland the Ian Woosnam designed Pirin Golf and Country Club near Razlog and Bansko offers a complete change of scene among the mountains, useful as a contrast or as a stop on a wider Balkan itinerary. None of this is new for 2026, but all of it is excellent, and most of it is far better value than comparable golf in western Europe.
Our take
The honest way to sell Bulgaria is on value and drama rather than novelty. You will not be playing a 2026 opening, but you will be playing a Gary Player coastline that costs a fraction of what the equivalent would in Portugal or Spain, on an island of golf compact enough that you can base yourself once and reach everything by short drives. For a group that has done the obvious European destinations and wants something genuinely different, it is an easy recommendation.
Build the trip around the coastal cluster, with Thracian Cliffs as the centerpiece, and add Pirin only if a change of mountain scenery appeals or you are routing through the region. Our Bulgaria destination hub and the best courses in Bulgaria guide lay out the options, and our team can put the few days together around the golf, the lodging and your dates.
Plan a Bulgaria golf trip
Want a value packed few days on the Gary Player coastline of the Black Sea? Tell us your dates and group and one concierge will build the trip, tee times and lodging included, costed to the head, with no obligation.
Bulgaria golf, your questions
Are any new golf courses opening in Bulgaria in 2026?
No new golf course is confirmed to open in Bulgaria in 2026. The country's golf was built in a wave roughly between 2008 and 2011 and has been stable since, centered on the Black Sea coast near Balchik and Kavarna with one mountain course inland near Bansko.
What are the main golf courses in Bulgaria?
The headline courses are Thracian Cliffs and BlackSeaRama, both Gary Player Signature designs on the northern Black Sea coast, and Lighthouse Golf Resort near Balchik. Inland, Pirin Golf and Country Club near Razlog and Bansko is an Ian Woosnam design in the mountains.
Is Bulgaria good value for a golf trip?
Yes. Bulgaria is one of Europe's strongest value golf destinations, pairing a dramatic Gary Player coastline with lower costs than western Europe. The compact cluster on the Black Sea coast means short transfers between courses, which suits a focused few days of golf.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course origins and current status compiled June 2026 from Bulgarian golf resorts and leading databases. Last reviewed June 2026.