Once upon a time, any list of the best golf courses in
Europe would have been dominated by the usual hotspots of Spain and Portugal.
However, the European landscape has
changed dramatically in recent years, and as golfers, we’ve become more adept
at seeking out new challenges.
If you’re planning a trip to the Continent any time soon, you’ve
come to the right place. In this article, we highlight some of the very best golf
courses in Europe.
Note: The courses below are ranked alphabetically rather than in order of quality.
The 10 best golf courses in Europe
1. Fontainebleau, France
Green fee: €165
This is a French version of some of the fantastic UK heathlands we know and love, with holes winding their way through the pines, beeches, oaks and heather.
Fontainebleau isn’t the longest course, which matters very
little to most of us, but you can expect small greens and a tactical challenge.
You’re in for an absolute treat if you manage to tee it up here with the
fast-draining surfaces and sandy soil, making it the perfect turf to play off.
Natural rock features on and around the playing areas add to the charm of the course before golfers retire to the clubhouse, which oozes old-world charm and history.
2. Hamburger, Germany
Green fee: €140
Germany rarely gets mentioned for its outstanding courses,
but Hamburger Falkenstein is its leading candidate, and you’ll certainly hear
more and more of it in the coming years.
It was founded back in 1906 when it was a nine-hole course before being transformed into an 18-holer just under 100 years ago. We can thank Harry Colt’s design for this masterpiece, which very much resembles a Sunningdale.
Bernhard Langer won the first of his five national Opens
here in 1981, but that was the last we’ve seen of it on Tour. Expect plenty of
doglegs, incredible turf, huge variety and no water.
“Falkenstein’s routing is dynamic, taking full advantage of the natural, rolling terrain, presenting all manner of shots—uphill, downhill, side hill, drop shots and seemingly every mixture of these elements. The outcome is a wide variety of holes with challenging and memorable shot opportunities,” writes course architect Tony Ristola.
3. Les Bordes (New), France
Green fee: Need to play with a member
Les Bordes, in the Loire Valley, has two courses firmly
inside France’s top 10, but it’s the New which is #1 on the property.
The Old was designed as recently as 1987 before Gil Hanse led the design of the New in 2018, and already, it has been recognised as one of the very best golf courses in Europe.
The New used land of an existing course but is now on a different level, with firm fairways, large waste areas, incredible bunkering and vast greens. The par 3s offer a huge variety in length and style, which is also a feature in the longer holes, and there’s also a 10-hole Wild Piglet short course. Hanse also designed the world-famous Cradle short course at Pinehurst, so expect a lot of fun.
“It is amazing how two such different courses exist in the same estate but are so totally different. Even the soil is different—the Old is more like Valderrama while the New is sandy like a UK heathland,” one visitor recalls.
4. Lofoten Links, Norway
Green fee: £150
There’s a good chance you’ll have seen plenty of Lofoten Links thanks to the efforts of No Laying Up and many others that have visited. It opened in the summer of 2015 and is located in the upper reaches of Norway, where the summer months mean you can enjoy 24-hour golf.
This is pure bucket-list material in a stunning setting beside the ocean, and you won’t even mind losing a few balls as it punishes even the slightly mishit shot. The short 2nd is photographed more than any other hole, sitting on a rocky outcrop with a single pot bunker as its other defence. This is out of this world, and while it is tricky to get to, it’s absolutely worth the effort. It’s undoubtedly one of the best golf courses in Europe.
5. Monte Rei, Portugal
Green fee: €170
Generally speaking, most travelling golfers head west when
jetting into Faro. However, for Monte Rei, head east towards Tavira. Here, you’ll
find the North Course, now regarded as Portugal’s best golf course. There has
been some talk of a South Course, also designed by Jack Nicklaus, but we’re
still waiting to see this.
Right from the first tee shot, you appreciate that you’re in
for a treat, and the standard never deviates with a collection of water hazards
and outstanding bunkers. The greens here are near perfect, and it all comes to
a close with a sporty par 5 that’s played over water.
It’s tricky to pinpoint a signature hole (which is rare), but this just reflects what a consistently outstanding test this golf course is.
6. Morfontaine, France
Green fee: Need to play with a member
Golf dates back more than 100 years here. The property, ‘Le Grand Parcours’, has 27 roles and is regarded as one of the very best golf resorts in Europe. The original 9-hole course, Le Vallière, is also well worth playing if you get a chance to tee it up here.
The only problem is that this club, just north of Paris, is highly exclusive, and you can only play here if you’re lucky enough to know a member.
This old classic isn’t the longest at only 6,500 yards off
the back tees, but it represents a brilliant test of skill and strategy. You
can expect a picturesque tree-lined layout with large, sloping greens and
brilliant bunkering. It’s especially impressive just before the turn, with the
7th among the 500 greatest golf holes.
“The terrain dictates the challenge on this hole, as boulder-strewn tall grass gives way to an uneven fairway lined by white birch trees. First up is a semi-blind tee shot, played over a rise that slopes from left to right. Though the green is large, its undulating surface leaves few safe places for an approach,” writes GOLF magazine.
7. Real Club Valderrama, Spain
Green fee: €500
This one shouldn’t need too much of an introduction, as it’s
one of the most recognisable and best golf courses in Europe. That’s reflected
in the green fee, granted, but nevertheless, Valderrama remains one of Europe’s
must-play courses.
The course only dates back to 1975 but it has been a mainstay of the European Tour and now also features on the LIV circuit. Its most famous moment came when it staged the Ryder Cup, the first on mainland Europe, in 1997 when Seve Ballesteros captained the hosts to the narrowest of victories.
The very wealthy Jaime Ortiz-Patino was ‘the money’ behind
Valderrama as he helped transform it into what it is today—a
course all about angles and plotting your way around the gnarled old cork oak
trees. Condition-wise, this place is beyond anything you’ve ever seen before, with
the entrances to the greens better than most clubs’ putting surfaces. The par-5
17th is the signature hole, with players’ second or third shots very
often ending up wet before a ridiculously challenging tee shot at the
last.
Valderrama was afforded royal status in 2014, shortly before King Juan Carlos’ abdication.
8. Royal Hague, Netherlands
Green fee: €225
Royal Hague, or to give it its proper name, Koninklijke
Haagsche, is recognised as one the top two golf courses in the Netherlands,
along with Utrecht de Pan.
This is a seaside course with blind shots, uneven lies and
elevation changes aplenty. With Kennemer further along the coast, too, you have
all the makings of a fantastic links trip here.
It has held the Dutch Open 20 times but not since 1981, which is a pity, as it means not many of us have properly laid eyes on it. The course dates back to 1893, but Harry Colt’s design firm really put it on the map just before World War II. Frank Pont also oversaw another renovation this century which saw the rebuild of nearly all the greens.
One visitor said of Royal Hague: “I have been lucky to play Shinnecock, and I am not afraid to say this one has a very similar feeling in many of the holes. It may not have the quality in design Colt gave to Utrecht, but this amazing piece of land, together with excellent conditioning, makes all in one the very best courses I played in the Netherlands.”
9. Utrecht de Pan, Netherlands
Green fee: €175
This misses out on the title of oldest golf club in the
Netherlands by a year, just behind Royal Hague. There’s nothing too fancy on
arrival, but what lies ahead is a classic heathland that Harry Colt helped turn
into a Dutch masterpiece—again, tidied up by Frank Pont in more recent years.
It’s not as well-known as others, staging just three Dutch
Opens, the last of which was in 1982, but if you have been, then you’ll surely
be a fan.
There are a collection of blind shots—all in a good way—as it continues to pose a strong test to golfers. You can expect elevation changes, no water, and some well-placed bunkers, all of which make this one of the best golf courses in Europe, for sure.
As for the name—Pan is a mythological Greek God, and there’s a statue of him playing his pipes here.
10. Visby, Sweden
Green fee: €140
If you’re a viewer of No Laying Up’s ‘Tourist Sauce’ videos,
then you’ll already have been charmed by this incredible piece of land.
Visby (The One) was originally laid out in 1958, but former
Ryder Cup player Pierre Fulke’s alliance with Adam Mednick has now made this
Sweden’s #1 course. Located on the island of Gotland, a medieval town and UNESCO
World Heritage Site, it offers some incredible seaside and parkland holes. The
6th and 16th holes get a lot of the plaudits, and there’s
also a nine-hole course (The Other One) to enjoy here.
“It’s one of very few courses where you can easily describe every single hole in detail as you drive home. And not only because of its spectacular setting along the shore, but because each hole never blends in. Each hole has its own distinctive design and feel—from a rough but scenic seaside character to a more flamboyant forest park character, peaking with the spectacular 16th hole. I would recommend it to anyone in a heartbeat!” one visitor writes.
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That’s why you might want to consider golf travel insurance to protect you and your things against theft, loss and damage when you travel.
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