Hamburger Falkenstein - North West Germany - Germany

Falkenstein is in a class of its own in Germany. This course is very consistent, varied, gorgeous and challenging. Colt and his mates and German Von Limburger really did a sublime job here, and the club is doing an equally sublime job in maintaining the grandeur of the course and design.

The course is perfectly in balance and the routing is magnificent. It is 100% natural and benefits maximally from the landscape, also strategically. The greensites are among the best I've seen anywhere. You need to use the natural slopes to work your ball towards the green or the hole and it's very satisfying to judge them right. When you fail to do this, it can be quite educational to look at the same shot from the other side.

As for the club experience: It's a warm welcome when you enter the grass on the members side of the clubhouse and one is greeted with an abundance of rhododendrons and top notch practice greens. We got 20 percent off because the greens had recently had a necessary treatment due to some recent championships. The greenkeepers are very passionate about their job and entrusted me we should have played the course the week before, as the greens never had been that good in their opinion. They were still bloody quick though.

Favourites on the front nine include the par 5 th, par 4 6th and par 3 8TH. From 8 onwards, an amazing stretch starts all the way to the 15th. The 16th is a little boring (out of place) perhaps.

The par 3 10th next to the clubhouse with a 20 meter drop is fantastic and the 13th is one of my favourite par 4's everywhere. It's only 314 meters and it couldn't be better. The tee shot is played from a hill and the fairway narrows at 210 meters, where a big bunker awaits one's tee shot. On the left, There is room for a longer tee shot but you risk not having a line to the green due to tall trees in front of you. To far to the right and you're to far into the bushes. So an iron it is for mr. conservative, but the fairways looks really tempting, and the iron shot will inevitably roll down to the right part of the fairway leaving an approach that plays considerably uphill to a back to front left to right sloping green. The 17th must be one of worlds most beautiful par 5's. One should be careful to not drive it through the fairway. Then you can go for the green on this short par 5, but you have to hit it over 50 meters of heather, also stretching the whole length of the par 3 8th that lies next to the 17th. It really doesn't get any better.

This is the kind of course where you want to play every day. It's a fair championship test and it's glorious. Every hole is a challenge, very beautiful and different. Not unimportantly, it is perfect as it is. I find it hard to compare it to other Colt designs or heathland courses. We're lucky to have a couple in the Netherlands. I'd say Falkenstein is as good as De Pan minus 1 or 2 mediocre holes. Fontainebleau is superb, but it needs some love aka deforestation. Falkenstein shows it's full potential and that is very special. Therefore I think Falkenstein is underrated. I would not be surprised if Falkenstein sneaks into the World top 100 one day, it's a worthy contender at least and it has my vote! MO

Hamburg is the premier golf club and course in Germany. It’s a true Harry Colt delight with fabulous golfing topography with 18 holes in existence since the early 20th century. This is authentic heathland golf and has the exact same look and feel of those famous heathland courses in Surrey/Berkshire, England.

I wasn’t at all surprised to hear that British soldiers during WW2 enjoyed golfing here as it reminded them of home. Beautiful heather lines many of the holes, and with a constant change in direction across highly undulating land, the course is the perfect marriage of beauty and outstanding design.

The first hole gives you a flavour of how the land moves, and the second hole introduces the challenge of playing through the trees. The routing changes direction in each of the first 8 holes before returning to clubhouse. Stand out holes on the front side include the epic uphill par 4 6th hole which you get a glimpse of while walking down the 5th fairway. It’s really eye opening and gets the heart racing just thinking about it. The 6th hole is hugely unique and incredibly steep leaving par feeling like a birdie.

Consistent with Colt’s acclaimed courses, the short par 4s on the front are strategic, tempting and bold. It’s been noted by other authors that the par 3s at Hamburger are not Colt’s best and in combination feel a little bland compared the outstanding par 4s. It’s hard to forget how incredible the short holes at Sunningdale, St. George’s Hill and Swinley Forest are, so with those images in your mind, the par 3s at Falkenstein pale in comparison – but only because the bar was set so high elsewhere.

The back nine is full of heather and is packed with delightful undulating and dog-legging par 4s before the famous par 5 17th which is arguably the best hole on the course. Those brave enough to hit a heroic carry over the purple heather will have a chance to hit the green in two.

Colt did a marvelous job of discovering 18 fantastic green-sites among the treasured heather, rolling ridges and towering pines - I am firmly a big fan of this German work of art.

I agree with everything that has been said in previous reviews, but would like to add a few more reasons to play here. First up is superintendent Norbert Lischka. He is a pioneer for heathland cultivation and firm playing surfaces in Germany and keeps his course in world-class condition with just a handful of greenkeepers and a minimum application of chemicals. Clearly the way forward for golf and you'll love how his course plays. Then, if you come here in August, when the heather is in full bloom, you'll be blown away. Not many courses can compete with Falkenstein in the heathery department. On top of all that you'll still pay less than at comparable venues like Alwoodley or Ganton or anywhere in Surrey. Just be reasonable and polite, they'll get you out on the course. And if you enter the HuLoPo competition, which consists of 100 holes played on a long day in June, the club will probably lose money on you!

There is very little to be said against Falkenstein, perhaps the configuration (only three par 5s, two par 3s of similar length) is a smidgen below world class and there is tree encroachment in places. However, the fairways are surprisingly wide on most holes and the playing strategies are absolutely intact. Tree-lined courses often have boring highway-like holes, but here only #2 and #11 are relatively straight and that is just the right amount of diversion on a course full of doglegs and quirk. Every hole presents a unique challenge, the bunkering is vintage Colt (some modern alterations) and the greens are thankfully still original. There certainly are some hills to conquer and some valleys to drive over, but it remains very walkable and, for the championship minded golfer, completely fair. For continental Europe it doesn't get much better than this. (UM)

I played this course today and it was a special walk through the Hamborg countryside. It was early in the season and the greens were not in the best shape, but who cares. I great layout that I really enjoyed.Moreover everyone from the the moment I entered the club from the secretary to the staff and the members made this USA guy very welcome. I hope to play it again.

Lovely course in impeccable condition. I saw a deer running on the fairway, met some nice German, French and English players who let me play through. I'm planning to go back next year to play in the "100 hole tournament".

Definitely a great and beautiful course. Certain natural uphill holes - not too physical though -compensate the fact it isn't a long course. One must also recon the remarkable etiquette of the local members. This club has style ! My partner and I are rather fast players and as soon as the flights ahead of us noticed it, without pressing anyone, we were kindly invited with a gentle smile to overtake them. A very friendly hole 19 and excellent dinner on a nice terrasse completed a wonderful discovery of one of the greatest courses in Germany and neighbouring countries. An experience we'll repeat without hesitation.

I played some of the top courses in Germany and this summer I had the chance to play Falkenstein. In my opinion this is by far the best course in Germany. It may be not the most difficult course, but it is one of very few old and classic layouts in Germany, the course is strategic and well maintained, though it looks very natural, not artificial or manicured, and with all that sandy ground and the heather it is so beautiful.

Not the longest of courses but a true parkland with plenty of trees, tight fairways, dog legs and elevation changes. Best holes for me are 12, 15 and 18 but the whole course is a delight to play.

I'm from Germany and my home club is Frankfurter golfclub, which is also in this list. But everytime i come to Hamburg-the best thing is this course. It's beatiful and well maintained- very good.