Schloss Ebreichsdorf

Schloss Ebreichsdorf Golf Club opened for play in 1988 and it’s one of Englishman Keith Preston’s best designs. Preston is an exponent of classical architecture and here at Schloss Ebreichsdorf to the south of Vienna he has fashioned a very natural parkland track which sits comfortably on the land.

The most difficult hole on the scorecard comes early in the round at the 391-yard 2nd hole, where trees cutting in to the left of the fairway mask the full width of the tee shot landing area. The approach shot then requires pinpoint accuracy, as it’s played to an island green with trees positioned to the right side of the putting surface.

Another couple of par fours catch the eye on the back nine, the first of which is the short par four 13th, ranked as the easiest hole on the course. It may look an innocuous hole from the teebox, but protective bunkers to the left, right and front of the green are designed to cause maximum grief to those who fall foul of them.

The 376-yard 17th is classic risk/reward hole with a split fairway that allows an easier drive to the left but a more difficult approach over trees to the green – aim for the tougher, sand-threatened right fairway with the tee shot and there’s an easier line in to the green for the second shot.