Each year, it welcomes a few big names for the Omega European Masters. Greg Norman considers him "The most spectacular mountain golf course in the world". Bob Charles, Nick Faldo, Severiano Ballesteros, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia and Colin Montgomerie have in the past successfully surveyed its fairways. Nestled at an altitude of 1500 meters since 1906, the Crans-sur-Sierre golf course is even a few years older than the Crans-Montana ski resort, which organized its first race in 1911.

The clubhouse offers a majestic view of Mont Bonvin and the Plaine Morte glacier. You almost feel the fresh breath of Mont-Blanc, not far from there. All in the heart of Crans-Montana. “The players appreciate being able to come on foot with their bag, which is rare, underlines Pascal Schmalen, the young golf manager. The other particularity of the course is that it is relatively flat for mountain golf. It is suitable for both amateurs and professionals. "

The 18-hole course was modified in 1997 by “maestro” Severiano Ballesteros, who notably redesigned the greens and bunkers. Oscillating between technical and wooded parts and much more airy passages, the course will amaze you. On hole 7, you take the Rhône valley from above. This par 4 in light dogleg drivable in one, with its out of bounds on all the right part, has something petrifying, in every sense of the word. With this euphoric feeling of being on top of the world, a driver in hand ...

To face the power of XXI champions^e century, some holes have been lengthened. Like the 16, which left its tinsel of par 4 drivable to turn into a citadel of par 3. The 18, whose fairway looks like the Titanic so much it leans to starboard, has also seen an additional obstacle. frontal water downstream of the green, making it even more formidable. But also more photogenic. "What is important in a golf course is the first glance", confirms Pascal Schmalen, who plans to build a gigantic putting green with the statue of Ballesteros in the middle.

Crossing the street to the other side of the clubhouse, it is another legend, Jack Nicklaus, who in 1987 remodeled a top-of-the-range 9-hole course, four times named Switzerland's best 9-hole course. Here, precision takes precedence over power with short, narrow and undulating fairways. In the station, a few hundred meters upstream, another star, of the cinema this time, looks at you on a mural: Roger Moore. James Bond used to find refuge in the famous ski resort and even occasionally drew his sandwedge there.…

Frank Crudo

WHERE TO STAY? Five minutes from golf, the Crans-Ambassador offers a superb view of the Swiss Alps and the Rhône valley. At the foot of the ski slopes in winter, this 5 * has the largest spa in Crans-Montana and the massages offered by Roxanne are of very high quality. La Table d'été is a mountain grill where Alsatian chef William Weiss gives pride of place to local products and Carnotzet a typical Valais restaurant where you can taste local wines as well as traditional raclettes or fondues.

Besides Crans-Sur-Sierre, three other 18-hole courses are located around XNUMX minutes from the hotel, in Sion, Loèche and Sierre. For any information, do not hesitate to ask the hotel manager, Didier Bru, who is himself a golfer.

To know more : https://www.golfcrans.ch/fr/

To go further, see our article on golf in Switzerland:

Golf in Switzerland through mountains and wonders