Golf lovers are forever searching for the ultimate golf course. For an unforgettable round of golf, it would be hard to beat teeing off on a pristine green with the majestic snow-capped Alps or the impressive rocky Dolomites as a backdrop. If you’re bored of your local golf courses and fancy a change of scenery while breathing in clean, fresh mountain air and taking in the spectacular scenery, then read on to find out where the best spots are for a round of golf in the European mountains this summer.
There are numerous golf clubs in the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Dolomites that offer a wide variety of different courses. In the Swiss Alps there are many exclusive golf clubs with 9 or 18-hole courses. In Verbier, for example, you have panoramic views of the Mont Blanc from the greens of the Verbier Golf Club! In France, you will find some one of the highest golf courses in Europe in Tignes, as well as some internationally renown clubs where world-class tournaments are held such as the Evian Royal Resort.
The French Alps boast a number of internationally recognised golf courses but also many, much more laid-back, relaxed golf courses which have something to offer golfers of all levels and tastes.
The par 70, 18-hole coures at The Les Gets golf course is perched up on the ridge of the Chavannes with fantastic views in all directions. This immaculately maintained golf course in Les Gets is particularly technical and is appreciated by golfers looking for a challenge. The course climbs 300m of altitude, from 1300m to 1600m, but there are electric buggies for rent and the Vaffieu restaurant is perfectly located for a well-earned lunch break. The Morzine-Avoriaz 9-hole, par 36 course was designed by Hugues Lambert. Situated just at the entrance to the ski resort of Avoriaz, on the edge of lush pine forests, this golf course offers an exceptional view of the beautiful Aravis mountain range.
The Mont D'Arbois Golf Course in Megeve, designed by Baron Edmond Rothchild in 1964, is a challenging golf course set in 124 acres of woodland on the Mont D'Arbois plateau at 1320 meters above sea level. The course offers spectacular mountain views and overlooks the village of Megeve. The Chamonix Golf Club, which was designed by the world famous Robert Trent Jones Senior, is located in a unique setting in Chamonix between the Mont Blanc mountain range and the massif of the Aiguilles Rouges and offers a 9-hole course of a very high standard with wonderful views.
If you’re looking for a real treat on your summer golfing holiday, then close to Lake Geneva, you will find two wonderful, luxury golf resorts. The Domaine de Divonne is a 5 star, art deco style holiday resort with its own casino, gourmet restaurants and an 18-hole championship golf course well-known for its technical challenges! The impressive Evian Royal Resort, located in the hills overlooking Lake Geneva, offers excellent training facilities, world-class spa treatments and is renown for its outstanding restaurants. This golf club hosts the Evian Masters each year when the best women golfers from around the world compete in one of the richest tournaments on the LPGA Tour. This superb golf course winds through 150 acres of rolling, wooded hills and is not to be missed if you’re a real golf fanatic!
The Verbier Golf Club, which is located at an altitude of 1600 meters dropping down to the clubhouse at 1400 meters, offers 2 magnificent 18-hole courses. From wherever you are, you can enjoy stunning views of the massif of the Combin, Rogneux and the famous Mont Blanc. The vast plateau of Crans Montana offers the perfect setting for the Crans-Sur-Sierre golf club. Located at 1500 meters above sea level, overlooking the Rhone Valley, golfers can enjoy stunning views of the highest peaks of the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc while enjoying a great game of golf. The Golf-Club Crans-Sur-Sierre was first opened in 1906 and is home to four courses, including the famous 18-hole Severiano Ballesteros course, which was named after its creator, and is now known as one of the most spectacular golf courses in the world! The prestigious European Masters is hosted here each year. The 18-hole Samedan Golf Course in Engadin St. Moritz which opened in 1891, is the oldest golf course in Switzerland. Its gentle, wide open, parkland layout makes it the perfect place for a relaxed game of golf in superb surroundings.
The 18-hole Golf Schladming course is set against a spectacular backdrop of the majestic Dachstein massif mountain range. The course here is very varied as the first 4 holes have relatively short fairways and present no particular difficulties. However, as you progress into your game, you discover plenty of challenges such as large bunkers, long fairways, water obstacles and a pebble beach! Plenty for every golfer to get their teeth into ! The 18-hole championship course at Golf Eichenheim in Kitzbuehel, was designed by Kyle Phillips who also created Kingsbarns Golf Links in Scotland. The name Eichenheim litterally means 'home of the oaks’ and when you discover the greens and fairways lined with stunning oak trees, you understand why! This is a challenging course, well known for its hole number 3 which has a drop of 60 meters, where some serious strategy comes into play ! Once you’ve played here in Kitzbuehel, you’ll understand why this golf course is often listed in top 10 lists!
The famous Courmayeur Golf Club is exclusive without being pretentious. The Golf Club has a 9-hole course that winds along a crystal clear, blue river and, in fact, crosses it at 2 different holes. The course was designed by Henry Cotton and is located in the beautiful Val Ferret valley at the foot of the Monte Bianco mountain range. There is a particularly magical atmosphere here at dusk as the sunset highlights the beautiful colors in the surrounding rocky peaks. Each summer, in August, the club hosts important national tournaments. Golf Club Petersberg was the first golf course to be built in the south Tyrol. The challenging 18-hole course is set up on a plateau surrounded by the stunning Brenta Dolomite mountains. The beautiful fairways and greens are lined with old pine trees which give this course a particularly enchanting atmosphere.
The 18-hole course at the Golf Club Kastelruth in the Dolomites of Northern Italy is well known for its many obstacles, such as ponds, ravines, brooks, waterfalls and some beautiful long fairways. The spectacular jagged Dolomite mountains provide a dramatic backdrop which makes for an unforgettable game of golf.
Leave a comment or join us on Facebook if you’ve been to any of these great golf courses. And of course, don’t forget that golf can be practiced on the snow too – read my article about snow golfing to find out more!
Golf lovers are forever searching for the ultimate golf course. For an unforgettable round of golf, it would be hard to beat teeing off on a pristine green with the majestic snow-capped Alps or the impressive rocky Dolomites as a backdrop. If you’re bored of your local golf courses and fancy a change of scenery while breathing in clean, fresh mountain air and taking in the spectacular scenery, then read on to find out where the best spots are for a round of golf in the European mountains this summer.
There are numerous golf clubs in the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Dolomites that offer a wide variety of different courses. In the Swiss Alps there are many exclusive golf clubs with 9 or 18-hole courses. In Verbier, for example, you have panoramic views of the Mont Blanc from the greens of the Verbier Golf Club! In France, you will find some one of the highest golf courses in Europe in Tignes, as well as some internationally renown clubs where world-class tournaments are held such as the Evian Royal Resort.
The French Alps boast a number of internationally recognised golf courses but also many, much more laid-back, relaxed golf courses which have something to offer golfers of all levels and tastes.
The par 70, 18-hole coures at The Les Gets golf course is perched up on the ridge of the Chavannes with fantastic views in all directions. This immaculately maintained golf course in Les Gets is particularly technical and is appreciated by golfers looking for a challenge. The course climbs 300m of altitude, from 1300m to 1600m, but there are electric buggies for rent and the Vaffieu restaurant is perfectly located for a well-earned lunch break. The Morzine-Avoriaz 9-hole, par 36 course was designed by Hugues Lambert. Situated just at the entrance to the ski resort of Avoriaz, on the edge of lush pine forests, this golf course offers an exceptional view of the beautiful Aravis mountain range.
The Mont D'Arbois Golf Course in Megeve, designed by Baron Edmond Rothchild in 1964, is a challenging golf course set in 124 acres of woodland on the Mont D'Arbois plateau at 1320 meters above sea level. The course offers spectacular mountain views and overlooks the village of Megeve. The Chamonix Golf Club, which was designed by the world famous Robert Trent Jones Senior, is located in a unique setting in Chamonix between the Mont Blanc mountain range and the massif of the Aiguilles Rouges and offers a 9-hole course of a very high standard with wonderful views.
If you’re looking for a real treat on your summer golfing holiday, then close to Lake Geneva, you will find two wonderful, luxury golf resorts. The Domaine de Divonne is a 5 star, art deco style holiday resort with its own casino, gourmet restaurants and an 18-hole championship golf course well-known for its technical challenges! The impressive Evian Royal Resort, located in the hills overlooking Lake Geneva, offers excellent training facilities, world-class spa treatments and is renown for its outstanding restaurants. This golf club hosts the Evian Masters each year when the best women golfers from around the world compete in one of the richest tournaments on the LPGA Tour. This superb golf course winds through 150 acres of rolling, wooded hills and is not to be missed if you’re a real golf fanatic!
The Verbier Golf Club, which is located at an altitude of 1600 meters dropping down to the clubhouse at 1400 meters, offers 2 magnificent 18-hole courses. From wherever you are, you can enjoy stunning views of the massif of the Combin, Rogneux and the famous Mont Blanc. The vast plateau of Crans Montana offers the perfect setting for the Crans-Sur-Sierre golf club. Located at 1500 meters above sea level, overlooking the Rhone Valley, golfers can enjoy stunning views of the highest peaks of the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc while enjoying a great game of golf. The Golf-Club Crans-Sur-Sierre was first opened in 1906 and is home to four courses, including the famous 18-hole Severiano Ballesteros course, which was named after its creator, and is now known as one of the most spectacular golf courses in the world! The prestigious European Masters is hosted here each year. The 18-hole Samedan Golf Course in Engadin St. Moritz which opened in 1891, is the oldest golf course in Switzerland. Its gentle, wide open, parkland layout makes it the perfect place for a relaxed game of golf in superb surroundings.
The 18-hole Golf Schladming course is set against a spectacular backdrop of the majestic Dachstein massif mountain range. The course here is very varied as the first 4 holes have relatively short fairways and present no particular difficulties. However, as you progress into your game, you discover plenty of challenges such as large bunkers, long fairways, water obstacles and a pebble beach! Plenty for every golfer to get their teeth into ! The 18-hole championship course at Golf Eichenheim in Kitzbuehel, was designed by Kyle Phillips who also created Kingsbarns Golf Links in Scotland. The name Eichenheim litterally means 'home of the oaks’ and when you discover the greens and fairways lined with stunning oak trees, you understand why! This is a challenging course, well known for its hole number 3 which has a drop of 60 meters, where some serious strategy comes into play ! Once you’ve played here in Kitzbuehel, you’ll understand why this golf course is often listed in top 10 lists!
The famous Courmayeur Golf Club is exclusive without being pretentious. The Golf Club has a 9-hole course that winds along a crystal clear, blue river and, in fact, crosses it at 2 different holes. The course was designed by Henry Cotton and is located in the beautiful Val Ferret valley at the foot of the Monte Bianco mountain range. There is a particularly magical atmosphere here at dusk as the sunset highlights the beautiful colors in the surrounding rocky peaks. Each summer, in August, the club hosts important national tournaments. Golf Club Petersberg was the first golf course to be built in the south Tyrol. The challenging 18-hole course is set up on a plateau surrounded by the stunning Brenta Dolomite mountains. The beautiful fairways and greens are lined with old pine trees which give this course a particularly enchanting atmosphere.
The 18-hole course at the Golf Club Kastelruth in the Dolomites of Northern Italy is well known for its many obstacles, such as ponds, ravines, brooks, waterfalls and some beautiful long fairways. The spectacular jagged Dolomite mountains provide a dramatic backdrop which makes for an unforgettable game of golf.
Being lucky enough to have parents who were crazy about skiing, my love for the mountains started when I was 4 years old on our first family ski holiday to Austrian ski resort of Obergurl. One ski holiday a year was never enough and tears rolled down my face as I looked out the back window of the car on the drive down the valley on the way home!
