Grand Ducal de Luxembourg

The design credit for the course at Luxembourg’s Golf Club Grand Ducal is attributed to a Major J. C. Symonds and it’s said that he received his architectural inspiration from Tom Simpson, who was working on a number of projects in the Benelux countries at that time.

Laid out on a 128-acre tract of land granted to the golf club by Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess Charlotte, the course opened for play in 1936. It was a proud moment indeed for members as they struck their very first tee shots close to the clubhouse flag pole bearing the orange and blue colours of the club’s Royal benefactor.

Today’s course measures a modest 5,802 metres in length, playing to a par of 71, with fairways carved through a mature woodland setting in two returning 9-hole circuits. Many consider the short par four, right doglegged 8th to characterise the playing experience here – what looks on paper like a birdie chance can often prove to be a card wrecker.