The nearest full-size golf courses to Moldova
Moldova has no 18-hole course, and neither does nearby north-east Romania. Here's where Moldovan golfers go to play a full round, and how far it is.
Once you’ve caught the golf bug at Dream Valley or Merops, you’ll eventually want to play a full 18 holes. Moldova doesn’t have an 18-hole course yet. The nearest ones are in Romania, and they’re further away than you might expect.
Nothing nearby in north-east Romania
The obvious places to look, Iași, Bacău and Suceava, don’t have 18-hole courses. There are only plans: a mini-golf project in Iași and a proposed resort near Suceava. For now, the closest full-size golf is around Bucharest.
Around Bucharest
Bucharest is about 430 km from Chișinău, roughly six hours’ drive before any wait at the border. The usual route crosses at Leușeni–Albița, which is open 24 hours. That makes this a weekend trip rather than a day out.
- National Golf & Country Club, Niculești, Dâmbovița. An 18-hole course about 30–37 km north of Bucharest, officially opened in June 2025.
- Bucharest Golf Club, Tâncăbești, Ilfov. An 18-hole design north of the city. Reports in 2025 suggested the second nine wasn’t fully finished, so check its status before you travel.
In Transylvania
Romania’s best-known 18-hole courses are in Alba county, much further away at roughly ten hours’ drive from Chișinău. They’re best combined with a longer holiday.
- Theodora Golf Club, Teleac, near Alba Iulia. An 18-hole course opened in 2017, with a 735-metre par 6, Europe’s longest hole.
- Golf Club Paul Tomita, Pianu de Jos, Alba. An 18-hole course in the same region.
A simulator stop near Bucharest airport
If you’re flying from Bucharest’s Otopeni airport, Champ du Golf is a few minutes away. It’s an indoor centre with TrackMan simulators where you can play famous courses virtually, take a lesson or get fitted for clubs. It’s also the model we’d like to see in Chișinău; read about the simulator project.
What about Ukraine?
We’ve left Ukraine out for now. The UK government currently advises against all travel to the Odesa region, the part of Ukraine nearest to Moldova, and we haven’t found an 18-hole course there anyway.
The bottom line
A full round from Moldova means a trip of at least six hours each way. That’s exactly why Moldova needs better facilities closer to home, starting with somewhere in Chișinău where people can learn and practise all year.