Golf in Kyrgyzstan
Now, although golf is not exactly a traditional Kyrgyz sport, the country does have a golf course which is available for members and non-members alike, which hosts a number of tournaments, competitions and charity events. The Maple Leaf Golf and Country Club was opened in 2001, and although most of the members are ex-pats working in the republic, there is a growing interest in the sport and in 2009 the “Kyrgyz Open” was entered by representatives of fourteen different nationalities but the top three places were won by local grown talent.
The nine-hole course was created by a Canadian designer, offering a challenging 3207 yards of golf, with narrow fairways, lakes, smaller greens and more was only the second golf course in Central Asia.
The course lies about 15 kilometres to the South of the Bishkek, or about twenty minutes from the city centre, in the lee of the foothills of the Kyrgyz Range of the Tien Shan mountains, in a setting of tranquil beauty and fresh air.
For those who understand these things, the statistics for the nine holes are:
| Hole | Yards | Par |
| 1 | 344 | 4 |
| 2 | 93 | 4 |
| 3 | 94 | 3 |
| 4 | 452 | 5 |
| 5 | 432 | 5 |
| 6 | 340 | 4 |
| 7 | 582 | 5 |
| 8 | 456 | 5 |
| 9 | 234 | 4 |
For beginners there is a driving range and practice putting greens. It is possible to hire clubs and balls and trolleys and there is also a “Pro Shop” and a Club House for relaxation before and after your game.
In addition, there is also an electronic driving range in Bishkek, which is useful for keeping in practice in the Winter months when a round on the links is not really a practical option.
Bishkek