Ebersberg (Championship)

Fan favorite Sepp Maier - the "Cat from Anzing" - has always been one of the most popular figures in German football. The legendary goalkeeper of the 1970s recently became a transfer target again at age 75, when Tourism Ireland enlisted him as "golf influencer" for the Emerald Isle. Not out of thin air either, as he plays to a lower handicap than his long-time friend Franz Beckenbauer and has not one, but two courses named after him. The first is an 18 holer in Berlin and the other a fine public 9 holer at his home course Ebersberg. It is in keeping with Maier's rustic personality that he did not look at any of the fancy high end venues around Munich, but chose the down-to-earth club next door. But perhaps he also had a nagging suspicion that Ebersberg's 18-hole championship layout is actually "better than most".

It is a very thoughtfully designed course on a site with complexities. The access road cuts right through the property, so nine holes had to be placed on either side of it, leading to an unsavory walk between #9 and #10. But other than that the site was used to its potential and gave up a couple of unique holes. Many wide fairways allow the golfer to strategise and the playing angles were designed to be relevant for everyone, not just long hitters. Many holes can be significantly shortened by flirting with disaster - it's the rare case of accurate driving not being a necessity due to tightness, but an option to gain an advantage.

While the somewhat rough appearance helps the course blend in with its rural surroundings, there is a lot of subtlety going on around the greens. They are very firm and tilted, so putts will be either with or against or sideways through a slope and they will be fast. Good putters can make a bunch, but the dreaded three-putt is never far away.

In many ways the club is like its most famous member: unassuming, with a sense of humour and a lot of hidden qualities beneath the surface. The championship course is certainly challenging, but it's not stern. And while the somewhat taxing terrain does take its toll on walkers, there's a lot of fun to be had and the 19th hole is ideally located - if only they had managed to tilt the 18th green towards the clubhouse!