Andermatt Swiss Alps

Europe's golf map stretches well beyond the famous names. Away from the links of Scotland and Ireland and the better-known resort destinations of Spain and Portugal, there are outstanding courses tucked into mountain valleys, Baltic coastlines and forests across the continent. From Switzerland to Estonia, these are courses that can be easy to overlook when planning a golf trip, despite offering the scenery, character and quality to make the journey worthwhile. We've picked 10 of Europe's biggest hidden gems, with every course coming from a different country. Andermatt Golf Course (Uri, Switzerland) Switzerland Ranking: 12th | Green Fees: From 130 CHF (€137) At around 1,400 metres above sea level, Andermatt Swiss Alps is surrounded by mountains, but the course itself is not quite the mountain layout you might expect. Designed by Kurt Rossknecht and opened in 2016, much of the 130-hectare course is relatively flat, with long rough lining the fairways and few trees giving it a links-like character. The third and fourth holes provide a dramatic change of pace, climbing through the rocky terrain at the end of the valley, while natural streams and water hazards feature elsewhere on the layout. The surroundings are impossible to ignore, with mountain ranges encircling the course and the sound of Alpine streams and grazing cows completing the experience. Pärnu Bay Golf Links (Pärnu Maakond, Estonia) Estonia Ranking: 1st | Continental Europe Ranking: 52nd | Green Fees: From €75 Estonia is hardly the first country that springs to mind when planning a European golf trip, which is precisely why Pärnu Bay Golf Links deserves a place on this list. Opened in 2015, the Lassi Pekka Tilander design occupies a narrow strip of sandy land where forest meets the Baltic Sea. Wide fairways, expansive waste areas and bold, multi-tiered greens give the course a links-like character, while the firm fescue surfaces reward a low, running game. Lead shaper Mick McShane, whose CV includes Kingsbarns, helped bring the design to life. Pärnu Bay may be off the beaten track, but it is one of the Baltics' standout layouts. Adamstal Golf Club - Championship Course (Niederösterreich, Austria) Austria Ranking: 1st | Continental Europe Ranking: 89th | Green Fees: €115 Tucked into a wooded valley southwest of Vienna, Adamstal feels a long way from the Austrian capital and even further from the usual European golf itinerary. Yet this spectacular mountain course has been Austria’s No. 1 on Top100’s national rankings and has hosted several editions of the Challenge Tour’s Euram Bank Open. Canadian architect Jeff Howes shaped the Championship course around the natural contours of the valley, with the 10th and 11th climbing into the mountains before dramatic elevated tees reveal the landscape below. The course even has a settle-the-bet 19th hole, a par three tucked into a pretty valley beside a mountain spring that has supplied Adamstal with drinking water for more than a century. Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort (Dobrich Province, Bulgaria) Bulgaria Ranking: 1st | Continental Europe Ranking: 43rd | Green Fees: €119 Perched on Bulgaria's northern Black Sea coast, Thracian Cliffs is one of Europe's most spectacular coastal golf courses. Gary Player’s signature design opened in 2011, with the holes carved along a narrow strip of land between high cliffs and the sea. The Black Sea is visible from every hole, while dramatic elevation changes add another dimension to the experience. The course hosted the 2013 World Match Play Championship, won by Graeme McDowell, and has featured prominently in Top100’s Continental Europe rankings. Alongside nearby BlackSeaRama and Lighthouse, Thracian Cliffs forms part of an unlikely but compelling golf destination on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. Zala Springs Golf Resort (Hungary) Hungary Ranking: 1st | Green Fees: 41,900 HUF (€114) Set among the rolling hills of western Hungary, Zala Springs combines a Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed course with the thermal waters of nearby Hévíz. Opened in 2016, the 160-hectare layout winds through a landscape of lakes, natural rock formations and mature vegetation, with plenty of water coming into play. The 12th is among the standout holes, requiring an all-carry shot over an intimidating lake, while the ninth features a distinctive Biarritz green. Zala Springs is ranked Hungary’s No. 1 course by Top100 and offers something increasingly rare in modern golf: a high-quality course paired with a destination where golf is only part of the holiday. Kytäjä Golf – South East Course (Finland) Finland Ranking: 4th | Green Fees: From €90 Just 30 minutes north of Helsinki, Kytäjä's South East course offers a very different side of Finnish golf. Designed by Canadian architect Thomas McBroom and opened in 2003, it was his first Scandinavian project. The front nine winds through undulating woodland, before the back nine opens out across flatter terrain and towards the shores of Lake Kytäjä. Those lakeside holes provide some of the course’s most impressive views, with the surrounding Finnish landscape never far from sight. Kytäjä may be a relatively unfamiliar name to travelling golfers, but visitors are warmly received and there is plenty to discover. Karlštejn Golf Resort – A&B Course (Central Bohemian Region, Czechia) Czechia Ranking: 4th | Green Fees: From 1,900 CZK (€78) Golf in the grounds of a medieval castle is a pretty good way to spend a day in Czechia. Around 30 kilometres southwest of Prague, Karlštejn Golf Resort winds through a hilly, wooded landscape beneath the famous Karlštejn Castle, with limestone outcrops, ravines and a couple of lakes adding plenty of character. The 6,324-metre course was designed by Canadian architect Les Furber, who returned in 2006 to add a further nine holes. The original layout has also hosted a Ladies European Tour event, adding some serious pedigree to an otherwise wonderfully secluded setting. With Prague close by and the castle looming over the landscape, Karlštejn offers a memorable combination of golf and sightseeing. Golf Club Tále - Gray Bear Course (Slovakia) Slovakia Ranking: 3rd | Green Fees: From €75 Set in a mountain valley beneath the Low Tatras, Gray Bear was the first 18-hole championship course to open in Slovakia when it welcomed its first golfers in 2002. Designed by Americans Bob Walton and Skip Malek, the course occupies 160 acres of spruce forest within Tále National Park, weaving between open meadows and dense woodland. Streams, boulders, stone walls and specimen pines are incorporated throughout the layout, giving it a distinctly natural character. The 6th is the signature hole, with a stream crossing the fairway before the hole sweeps downhill towards a green surrounded on three sides by water. With the Low Tatras providing a dramatic backdrop throughout, Gray Bear is a memorable introduction to golf in Slovakia and an easy addition to a wider trip through the country. Golf Grad Otočec (Novo Mesto, Slovenia) Slovenia Ranking: 2nd | Green Fees: €80 Set among the heavily forested hills of Dolenjska, Grad Otočec winds through an undulating 185-acre property beside the River Krka. The course is a collaboration between Howard Swan and local architect Peter Škofic, with tight playing corridors creating an unusual sense of seclusion as the fairways twist through the woodland. The 3rd is a standout, with the par five turning towards a sunken, blind green, while the 12th stretches to 568 metres and demands three long, straight shots. Adding to the appeal, Otočec Castle sits nearby on an island in the river, giving visiting golfers the chance to stay in a genuine Slovenian castle after their round. Miklagard Golf (Viken, Norway) Norway Ranking: 2nd | Green Fees: From 850 NOK (€78) Just 10 minutes from Oslo Airport, Miklagard is remarkably convenient for a course of its stature. Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed it as Norway’s first championship course, with the layout purpose-built to host national and international tournaments. It is a big, bold test, with significant elevation changes, large bunkers and fast, contoured greens. A 2019 remodelling project added five new holes and reshaped the opening, while a hotel now occupies the former practice area. Its combination of accessibility, pedigree and championship credentials makes it an easy addition to a golf trip through Norway.

Swiss Alps – a golf destination and much more Would I suggest a golf holiday in Switzerland? Probably not. Would I recommend a holiday in Switzerland and then play some golf while there? Oh yes, with great big cowbells on! This was my first visit to Switzerland and it was so enjoyable with highlights being the scenery, wonderful accommodation, delicious culinary experiences and a national culture that focuses on the finer things in life, with strong emphasis on health and well-being. Grey Nickel, the sales and marketing company that specialises in golf and ski, arranged this Swiss visit and the itinerary was action-packed. London Heathrow to Zurich is a very manageable 80-minute flight and once we’d landed we were whisked off in a southwesterly direction to take a look at a fairly new 9-hole course called Golf Meggen. There are some lovely holes to be played here, where the elevated panoramic views across Lake Lucerne are simply stunning. We stayed at the Seehotel Waldstaetterhof in the vibrant town of Brunnen on this first night where further lovely lake views are to be savoured, this time at street level. There was just enough time for nine holes at Golf Club Axenstein en route to the next planned stop. Axenstein is unlikely to appear in any golf course rankings, but it’s so much fun where there are some really short holes and some really tough walks between greens and tees – at this point I wished I was a mountain goat! You will get round these nine holes in just over an hour and the experience is not to be missed. Yet again the mountain and lake views are simply breathtaking. Back to the schedule and off to the famous ski town of Andermatt. This town met my expectations of a classy Swiss ski hub, with fantastic food and drink and accommodation choices and, of course, the vibe that skiers instantly recognise. We continued to be treated like royalty and pitched up at The Chedi, which is part of The Leading Hotels of the World group, a collection of 375 hotels that are unrivalled for absolute quality throughout. The Chedi is without a doubt the best accommodation in this area. Our golf experience was at Andermatt Swiss Alps – here we have a course that is only two years old (opened in 2016) and so close to the beautiful mountains in the Urseren Valley. It’s laid out over rocky terrain, which is intersected by natural streams and surrounded by grazing cows. There are some memorable holes, especially the unforgettable short par four at the 3rd and 4th. Our 2018/2019 Swiss ranking for the course is #10 and the review posted 30th October 2017 by our Alpine Correspondent, François Gacougnolle, is just spot on perfect – there’s nothing that I can add as it’s very accurate and well worth a read (Andermatt Swiss Alps click to read more). After a very relaxing night at The Chedi we transferred to another club at Domat/Ems via a tricky drive across mountain roads with many nerve-jangling hairpin bends – just watch those edges… it’s a long way down! There are three loops of nine holes at Domat/Ems and again I cannot envisage this course becoming part of the Switzerland rankings, but there are a number of strong holes coupled with a really lovely club feel. Our next journey to Bad Ragaz lasted only twenty minutes and it was the highlight of my trip. We stayed at The Grand Resort Bad Ragaz and yet again we were treated like kings. This property is billed as Europe’s Leading Wellbeing & Medical Health Resort and it’s also on the books of The Leading Hotels of the World. As luck would have it, we arrived in town during Bad RagARTz, an open-air exhibition of 430 sculptures that simply has to be seen. Our golf was played on the venue for the Swiss Seniors Open hosted each July since 1997 where the winners normally have some very low scores. In 2015, local favourite, Andre Bossart, went on to win the event after carding a 61. This score was on for me after three holes of my round at Bad Ragaz but suffice to say the course record still remains intact! I really enjoyed the Bad Ragaz course, which reminded me in part of the Duchess course at Woburn in England – very tight in places, but not overly long where accuracy is key to scoring well. Everything about the Bad Ragaz layout is just an extension of the whole town – this is just a really nice feel good place to be, whether you are hiking, golfing, using the spa or eating very well. On the subject of eating, our ‘king-like’ experience continued into the evening when we dined at IGNIV, the 1 Michelin star restaurant by Andreas Caminada. The talented chef and his team explained in perfect detail each and every one of the twenty-courses during our time at his table. This was a serious culinary treat (with wines to match). I may be more accustomed to the pie and mash shop in the East End of London, but this was undoubtedly one of the very best dining moments in my life. There was just enough time on the final day of our luxurious trip to walk off the excesses and play another 9-hole layout that’s set right next door to Bad Ragaz, at Golf Club Heidiland. This is another facility where fun is the main focus, with nine expertly manicured short holes that will only take up an hour or so of any golfer’s time. I genuinely loved my first golfing experience in Switzerland – expectations have now been set and I can't wait to revisit. Andy Newmarch Top 100 Golf Courses

As with all the other European charts we’ve been updating over the last thirteen months, the rankings for Switzerland have been compiled by a new panel assembled for that specific purpose and we thank every one of these committed golfers for their valued contributions. Nine courses climb up the new listings, eight drop down and eight remain in the same place. Domaine Imperial One of the non-movers is the 18-hole course at Golf Club du Domaine Impérial which retains its position as the #1 golfing layout in Switzerland for the eighth straight edition. Officially, the layout is a Pete Dye design but his associate at the time, Tim Liddy, was the man on site who actually oversaw construction of the course. Set out on land by the northern shores of Lake Geneva, the fairways occupy an estate that was once owned by Joseph Bonepart (elder brother of Napoléon Bonepart) and the 19th century manor house, La Villa Prangins, now operates as a rather grand clubhouse for the golfers who play here.  Zürich The 18-hole layout at Golf & Country Club Zürich dropped out of the Top 10 bracket in 2018 but it now soars six places back up the chart to #5, following a renovation carried out recently by Thomas Himmel. Originally designed by Tom Williamson almost a century ago, the course was later remodelled by Tom Simpson in the mid-1930s then further upgraded by Donald Harradine during the 1970s so its architectural pedigree is one to be admired. Breitenloo Located ten kilometres east of Zurich airport, the course at Golfclub Breitenloo rises four places to #11 in our new Swiss standings. Founded in 1964, the club engaged both Frank Pennink and Donald Harradine to develop the course in its formative years before Kurt Rossknect upgraded the layout in 2004. Importantly, a recent bunker renovation by Staedler & Reinmuth GolfDesign has contributed substantially towards improving the ranking fortunes of the course.  Hittnau-Zürich The Golf and Country Club Hittnau-Zürich course (up six to #18) lies half an hour’s drive southeast of Breitenloo, with the original 9-hole layout the work of renowned architect Bernhard von Limburger. Donald Harradine revised the layout after it had been extended to eighteen holes before Kurt Rossknect redesigned more than half the holes in 2015/16. Occupying a hilly landscape with lovely old trees, streams and lakes coming into play, this Alpine beauty is quite the testing track in a wonderful setting. Golfpark Zürichsee First opened for business in 1998, the Golfpark Zürichsee course (up five to #20) is laid out in a former gravel quarry, where Peter Harradine fashioned the initial 9-hole layout at what was then called Nuolen Golf Park. Twenty years later, Kurt Rossnecht added another nine holes, with water now featuring regularly, especially on the front nine where only three holes are free from any aquatic influence. To view the entire detailed list of our latest Top 25 Golf Courses of Switzerland click the link. View list here. If you have any comment to make on the above article then please use the “WRITE A RESPONSE” link at the bottom of this page. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses