It’s 6.45am and the sun is rising on my last day in Switzerland and I am both sad and excited. Sad because it’s been an amazing four days of golf, but excited as I am about to play Crans-Sur-Sierre seven-days after the European Tour’s, Omega European Masters was held here and I know the course is going to be in spectacular condition.
As I stand on the 1st tee, the grass is manicured to perfection and I am surrounded by Swiss wooden apartments. I hadn’t realised how close they were, but it makes my opening tee shot all the more impressive. The 540-yard par 5 plays downhill and it’s when you get to the crest of the hill that the views start to open up. A wedge sees me on the putting surface and I break into a smile as I walk onto the green. It’s like walking on a snooker table – not that I have ever walked on a snooker table, but if I had this is how I imagine it to feel.
Top Jaw dropping views on the 8th green. Above 5th, 14th and 18th holes
Even though it has been a week since the tournament, the greens roll true and fast and with the subtle and not so subtle breaks your putting game really needs to be in great shape if you want to score well. As I make my way round, there are lots of familiar sights which most avid golf viewers will recognise. But you really don’t get the feeling of how claustrophobic the 6th hole can be driving down that avenue of pines.
You then walk through some apartments and all of a sudden, as you approach the 7th tee that view hits you. Voted in the Top 50 golf views in the world, I have seen it many times on TV, but standing here sends shivers down my spine - it is that spectacular; and you really do need to be standing next to me to feel the sheer wonder of this spot.
The back nine opens up with another amazing hole with water down the left and that backdrop again, with the pine trees behind the green make for yet another well designed golf hole. But it really would be unfair to pick out certain holes as the course really unfolds perfectly, from the amphitheatre behind the par 3 13th, water protecting the greens at the 12th and 14th, the house where Jackie Onassis stayed after JFK had been assassinated next to the 16th and of course the amazing final hole that sits in the town of Crans Montana.
To sum up. you really need to put Switzerland on your bucket list to play golf. And make sure that Crans-Sur-Sierre is your final course, because once you’ve played here I know you will be on the phone to your golf travel agent booking your next trip out. Switzerland is that spectacular.
Water on the left of the fairway on the 10th and more of those amazing views
Playing down to the 13th green with water on the right
