Andermatt

Few golf courses in Europe command a setting quite like this one. Designed by Kurt Rossknecht and opened in 2000, Andermatt Swiss Alps Golf Course sits in the high alpine valley of Urseren at around 1,400 metres above sea level, making it one of Switzerland's most dramatically positioned layouts. The surrounding peaks of the central Alps — including the Gemstock massif — frame virtually every shot, and the Reuss River winds through the property, coming into play on several holes.

The course plays through a natural mountain meadow landscape, where the terrain does much of the architectural work. Fairways follow the valley floor with genuine undulation, and the thin mountain air means the ball carries further than golfers accustomed to lower elevations might expect — a pleasant surprise for most.

Andermatt itself is a historic crossroads village at the confluence of 4 major Alpine passes, including the Gotthard. The region has seen serious investment in recent years through the Andermatt Swiss Alps resort development, transforming this once-sleepy military town into a year-round destination, with golf a central part of that ambition.