Spessart

Five holes were opened for play three years after Golf-Club Spessart made its modest entry into the golf world in 1972. Two years later, the course was extended to a 9-hole layout before Harald Schmid completed a full 18-hole track in 1988.

Stretching to just over 6,000 metres from the regular gents’ tees, the course is configured within a 160-acre property as two returning nines, each of which ends with a par five hole back to the clubhouse. Water – in the form of small irrigation ponds – comes into play on several occasions. On the outward half, there’s aquatic challenge on each of the opening three holes, with another pond positioned between the 7th and 8th fairways. On the longer inward half, a larger water hazard lurks to the right of the par four 12th then a smaller pond sits to the front left of the par three 13th.

Other non-water-related highlights include the slightly right doglegging par four 6th (rated stroke index 1) with out of bounds running the length of the hole on the left; the left veering par four 11th (rated stroke index 2) which plays to a green fronted by a couple of bunkers; and the 516-metre 18th (the longest of the par fives on the card) with a small line of trees in the middle of the fairway and out of bounds to the right of the hole as it heads to the home green.